Case Information

*1 J-S50027-17 NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA : PENNSYLVANIA

: Appellant : : :

v. : : : No. 2396 EDA 2016

KAREEM JOHNSON Appeal from the PCRA Order July 11, 2016 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-51-CR-0400722-2004

BEFORE: PANELLA, J., RANSOM, J., and PLATT*, J. MEMORANDUM BY PANELLA, J. FILED JANUARY 09, 2018

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania appeals the order entered in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas granting the discovery motion of Appellee, Kareem Johnson in connection with his petition filed under the Post Conviction Relief Act (“PCRA”), 42 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 9541-9546. The order directed the Commonwealth to produce the Philadelphia Police department’s investigative homicide file for an in camera review. We affirm.

The relevant facts and procedural history of this case are as follows. On April 28, 2006, following a first-degree murder conviction, Appellee was sentenced to life without parole. On direct appeal, this Court affirmed Appellee’s sentence and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied allocator . Appellee filed a timely PCRA petition, which the PCRA court permitted to be amended multiple times over the course of several years. In May 2015, ____________________________________ * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.

J-S50027-17

*2 Appellee filed a motion for discovery pursuant to the PCRA. The Commonwealth objected, citing the extreme delay in Appellee’s motion and the lack of exceptional circumstances as required for an order of discovery under the PCRA. After several hearings on the motion, the PCRA court granted Appellee’s motion and ordered the Commonwealth to deliver the police file from the homicide investigation to its chambers for an in camera review of its contents. The Commonwealth filed a timely motion to reconsider, through which it raised, for the first time, its claim that the PCRA court’s discovery order violated its investigative privilege. The PCRA court denied the motion. This timely appeal follows.

Prior to addressing the merits of the Commonwealth’s appeal, we must first address Appellee’s allegation that the order before us is a non-appealable interlocutory order. See Appellee’s Brief, at 1-5. The Commonwealth argues the order is immediately appealable as an order overruling an assertion of privilege. See Commonwealth’s Brief, at 1-3.

An order is appealable, and thus subject to our review, if it is final, interlocutory and appealable by right or permission, or collateral. See Commonwealth v. Kennedy , 876 A.2d 939, 943 (Pa. 2005). See also 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 702(b); Pa.R.A.P. 311-313, 1311-12. Neither party contends the order in question is a final order (It obviously is not.), and the trial court denied the Commonwealth’s request to certify its appeal as interlocutory by permission. Thus, we may only review the order if we find it to be a collateral order.

- 2 -

J-S50027-17

*3 An appeal from a collateral order may be taken as of right where the order is separable from and collateral to the main cause of action, the right involved is too important to be denied review, and the question involved is such that if review is postponed, the claim will be irreparably lost.

Kennedy , 876 A.2d at 943 (citing Pa.R.A.P. 313). “This court has held that discovery orders involving privileged information are ... appealable as collateral to the principal action pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 313.” Commonwealth v. Makara , 980 A.2d 138, 140 (Pa. Super. 2009) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). Thus, ordinarily, we would have found that the discovery order involving privileged information would be appealable as a collateral order. But, as the Appellee argues, see Appellee’s Brief, at 1-3, the Commonwealth failed to assert a claim of privilege prior to the entry of the discovery order, thus it cannot claim jurisdiction under this particular legal principle. While we agree with the Appellee that the Commonwealth’s failure to properly assert its claimed privilege precludes its reliance on this rule of law, we nonetheless find that the order is appealable as a collateral order.

The discovery order here is clearly separable from the issue of whether Appellee is entitled to a new trial under the PCRA. Further, in a case with a similar fact pattern, Commonwealth v. Frey , 41 A.3d 605, 609 (Pa. Super. 2012), we found that the “issue of whether the Commonwealth must disclose material related to an ongoing murder investigation implicates rights deeply embedded in public policy.” We see no reason why this case would have any

- 3 -

J-S50027-17

*4 less impact on public policy rights, and thus find the right too important to be denied review. Finally, if appellate review was postponed, the Commonwealth would be required to immediately disclose the police’s investigative file—and any later ruling finding that disclosure was improper would be moot. Thus, we find that the discovery order in question is a collateral order, properly presented for our review.

Moving to the issues raised on appeal, the Commonwealth contends the PCRA court erred in ordering an in camera review of the police’s investigative homicide file. See Commonwealth’s Brief, at 5, 19-36. Specifically, the Commonwealth alleges this discovery order was entered in violation of the PCRA mandate of finding “exceptional circumstances” prior to ordering discovery and of the Commonwealth’s investigative privilege. See id .

In PCRA proceedings, discovery is only permitted upon leave of court after a showing of exceptional circumstances. 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9545(d)(2); Pa.R.Crim.P. 902(E)(1). The PCRA and the criminal rules do not define the term “exceptional circumstances.” Rather, it is for the trial court, in its discretion, to determine whether a case is exceptional and discovery is therefore warranted.

We will not disturb a court’s determination regarding the existence of exceptional circumstances unless the court abused its discretion. An abuse of discretion is not a mere error in judgment. Instead, it is a decision based on bias, ill will, partiality, prejudice, manifest unreasonableness, or misapplication of law. Moreover, we recall that the appellant has the duty to convince us an abuse occurred.

Frey , 41 A.3d at 611 (some internal citations omitted). - 4 -

J-S50027-17

*5 We have reviewed the briefs of the parties and the certified record pursuant to this standard, and conclude that the opinion authored by the Honorable Teresa M. Sarmina ably addresses the issues raised by the Commonwealth on appeal. See Trial Court Opinion, 12/20/16, at 9-24. We therefore adopt its cogent reasoning as our own, and affirm on that basis.

Order affirmed. Judgment Entered. Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary Date: 1/9/18

- 5 - *6 C i r c u l a t ed 12 / 12 / 2017 02 : 37 P M

P

H I L AD E L P H I A C O UR T O F C O M M O N P L E A S

C

R I M I N A L T R I A L D I V I S I O N

C

O MM O N W E A L T H C P - 5 1 - C R - 0 4 0 0 7 2 2 - 2004 v . C P - ^{[5] [1]} - CR - ^{[04] [0] [0] [72] [2]} - ^{[2] [0] [04]} C o mm . v . J o hn s on , K a r e e m O p i n i on F J L E D KA R EE M J O HN S O N II II II I I I I 111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 7 8 8 0 05 7 5 4 1 S a r m i n a , J .

D E C 2 0 2 0 1 6 D e ce m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 6 C r i r t u n a t A p pe a l s U n i t

O

P I N I O N F i r s t J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t o f P A P RO C E D U R A L H I S T O R Y : O n M a r c h 1 6 , 2 00 6 , f o ll o w i n g a b e n c h t r i a l ' be f o r e t h e H o n o r a b l e J a n e C u tl e r G r e e n s p a n , K a r e e m J o h n s o n ( h e r e a f t e r , p e ti ti o n e r ) w a s c o n v i c t e d o f m u r d e r o f t h e f i r st d e g r e e ( H - 1 ) , a gg r a v a t e d a s s a u lt ( F - 1 ) , c a r r y i n g a f i r e a r m w i t h ou t a li c e n s e ( V U F A ) ( F - 3 ) , c r i m i n a l c on s p i r ac y ( F - 1 ) , a n d p o s s e s s i n g i n s t r u m e n t s of c r i m e ( P I C ) ( M - 1 ) . ^[2] O n A p r il 2 8 , 2 0 0 6 , f o ll o w i n g r e c e i p t a n d r e v i e w o f p r e - s e n t e n ce a n d m e n t a l h e a l t h r e p o r t s , t h e t r i a l c o u r t i m p o s e d a s e n t e n c e o f li f e i m p r i s on m e n t w i t h o u t p a r o l e f o r t h e f i r st d e g r ee m u r d e r c o n v i c ti o n . ^[3] O n M a y 1 1 , 2 006 , pe ti ti o n e r f il e d a p o s t - s e n t e n ce m o ti o n f o r r e li ef w h i c h w a s d e n i e d b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t o n J u l y 5 , 2 006 . O n O c t ob e r 1 8 , 2 007 , S up e r i o r C o u r t a f f i r m e d pe ti ti o n e r ' s j u d g m e n t o f s e n t e n c e . " O n M a y 1 4 , 2 00 8 , o u r S u p r e m e C o u r t d e n i e d a l ! o c a t u r . ^{[5] [1]} P e ti ti on e r w a s t r i e d a l o n g s i d e c o - d e f e nd a n t K e n n e ll S p a d y . ^[2] 1 8 P a . C . S . § § 25 0 2 , 2 7 0 2 , 6 1 0 6 , 9 0 3 , a n d 9 0 7 (a ), r e s p e c ti v e l y . ^[3] A s t o t h e c o n v i c ti o n f o r a gg r a v a t e d as s a u l t , p e ti ti o n e r w a s s e n t e n c e d t o a c o n c u rr e n t t e r m of n o t l e s s t h a n t e n n o r m o r e t h a n t w e n t y yea r s i n p r i s o n . A s t o t h e c o n v i c ti on f o r VU FA , p e ti ti on e r w a s s e n t e n c e d t o a c o n s ec u ti v e t e r m o f t h r ee a nd a h a l f t o s e v e n y e a r s i n p r i s on . A s t o t h e c o n v i c ti o n f o r c r i m i n a l c o n s p i r a c y , pe ti ti o n e r w a s s e n t e n ce d t o a c on s e c u ti v e t e r m o f t w e n t y t o f o r t y y e a r s i n p r i s on . A s t o t h e c o n v i c ti on f o r P I C , pe ti ti on e r w as s e n t e n c e d t o a c on c u r r e n t t e r m o f o n e t o f i v e y e ar s i n p r i s on . T r i a l C o u r t O p i n i o n , 7 / 1 3 / 0 6 , a t 1 - 2 . ^[4] C o mm o n w e a lt h v . J o hn s o n , N o . 1 8 92 E D A 2 0 0 6 , s li p o p . ( P a . Su p e r . , O c t . 1 8 , 2 0 0 7 ) ( m e m o ra n d u m o p i n i o n ) . ^[5] C o m m o n w e a lt h v . J oh n s o n , N o . 6 04 E A L 2 0 0 7 , s li p o p . ( P a . M a y 1 4 , 2 00 8 ) .

*7 On October 8, 2008, petitioner filed a petition pursuant to the Post-Conviction Relief Act (PCRA),6 prose. This matter was assigned to this Court on August 25, 2009. ^[7] On September 11, 2009, Michael Gonzales, Esquire and Amy Donella, Esquire, of the Federal Community Defender Office, appeared before this Court as counsel for petitioner and requested additional time to file an amended PCRA petition. Following several continuances, petitioner filed an amended petition on February 19, 2014, and an appendix thereto on July 18, 2014. On January 29, 2015, the Commonwealth filed a Motion to Dismiss.

On May 18, 2015, petitioner filed a Motion for Discovery, seeking 121 categories of information from the case file in the Commonwealth's custody and control. On May 20, 2015, petitioner filed a response to the Commonwealth's Motion to Dismiss and the Commonwealth filed a response objecting to the discovery request. Following additional filings, this Court heard argument on the discovery request on July 2, 2015. ^[8] In discussing the defense's discovery request at the hearing, the Court made clear to counsel that, pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 902(E)(1)9, the burden was on the defense to demonstrate "exceptional circumstances" before the Court could grant the discovery request. With respect to exceptional circumstances, defense counsel asserted the existence of several documents and items of evidence which should have been, but were not, provided to the defense prior to trial, including: 1) a police activity sheet indicating that Jerome Broaster, one of the participants in the gun battle central to the case, had been interviewed by police and had apparently ^[6] 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546. ^[7] Justice Greenspan had been appointed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on July 2, 2008. ^[8] At the hearing, Amy Donella, Esquire, withdrew from representation, and Eric Montrose, Esquire, joined Mr. Gonzales as counsel for petitioner. ^[9] This rule provides that, in a non-capital case under the PCRA, " ... no discovery shall be permitted at any stage of the proceedings, except upon leave of court after a showing of exceptional circumstances." Though petitioner's case started out as a capital case, ultimately this case ended up being non-capital.

2 *8 p r o v i d e d e x c u l p a t o r y i n f o r m a ti o n ; a n d , 2 ) do c u m e n t s i n d i ca ti n g t h a t p o li c e h a d r e c o v e r e d b a lli s ti c s a nd o t h e r e v i d e n c e r e l a ti n g t o t h e c a s e fr o m t w o s e p a r a t e a u t o m ob il e s w h i c h t h e p o li ce s u s p ec t e d m a y ha v e b ee n u s e d b y t h e B r o a s t e r s i n c o n n ec ti on w i t h t h e gun b a t tl e . N o t e s o f T e s ti m o n y ( N . T . ) 7 / 2 / 1 5 a t 5 0 - 60 . D e f e n s e c o un s e l a r gu e d t h a t t h i s i n f o r m a ti o n w a s e x c u l p a t o r y i n t h a t i t t e n d e d t o s u p po r t p e ti ti o n e r ' s s e l f - d e f e n s e d e f e n s e a t t r i a l , a n d t h e r e f o r e , u n d e r B r a d y ^[10] , t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h h a d a n o b li g a ti o n t o p r o v i d e t h i s e v i d e n c e t o t h e d e f e n s e

Fo ll o w i n g a d d i ti o n a l f ili n g s o n t h i s i s s u e , t h i s C o u r t h e a r d a d d i ti o n a l a r gu m e n t o n A u gu s t 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 . A t t h i s h ea r i n g , de f e n s e c o un s e l r e p r e s e n t e d t h a t t h e y h a d o n l y b e e n p r o v i d e d a p r op e r t y r ec e i p t r e f e r e n c i n g t h e v e h i c l e s r e c ov e r e d b y p o li c e , b u t n o t h i n g e l s e w i t h r e s p ec t t o a n y e v i d e n c e r e c o v e r e d fr o m t h e v e h i c l e s . T h i s C o u r t f o u nd t h a t a n y s c i e n ti f i c o r b a lli s ti c s t e s ti n g a n d a ll o t h e r e v i d e n c e r e c ov e r e d fr o m t h e t w o v e h i c l e s s h o u l d h a v e b e e n p r ov i d e d t o d e f e n s e c oun s e l p r i o r t o t r i a l , a n d o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o p r ov i d e t h i s e v i d e n ce t o t h e d e f e n s e . N . T . 8 / 14 /1 5 a t 6 5 - 6 7 . T h e C o mm o n w e a l t h h a d a l s o p r ov i d e d t h e d e f e n s e w i t h a s t a t e m e n t b y R a f i S m i t h " m a d e i n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h f e d e r a l i n t e lli g e n c e o f f i c e r D av i d G a rr o w a y o n F e b r u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 04 ; t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h h a d f a il e d t o p r o v i d e t h e s t a t e m e n t i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . I d . a t 8 / 1 4 / 1 5 , a t 1 1 4 . T h i s C o u r t o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o p r o v i d e t h e d e f e n s e w i t h a n y o t h e r i n f o r m a ti o n p r ov i d e d b y R a f i S m i t h , f i n d i n g t h a t t h i s i n f o r m a ti o n s h o u l d h a v e be e n p r o v i d e d t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . I d . a t 13 1 .

T h i s C o u r t h e l d a s t a t u s h e a r i n g o n J a n u a r y 8 , 2 0 1 6 , i n p r e p a r a ti o n f o r a n e v i d e n ti a r y h e a r i n g t o be h e l d o n J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 , o n p e ti ti o n e r ' s c l a i m t h a t t r i a l c oun s e l h a d r e n d e r e d i n e ff e c ti v e a s s i s t a n c e f o r f a il u r e t o p r e s e n t t h e d e f e n s e t h a t pe titi o n e r h a d r e q u e st e d , n a m e l y t h a t p e titi o n e r w a s ^{[1] [0]} B r a d y v . M a c y l a n d , 3 7 3 U . S . 8 3 ( 1 9 6 3 ) . ^{[1] [1]} R a f i S m i t h w a s a n ass o c i a t e of pe titi o n e r ' s w h o h a s , at v a r i o u s ti m e s , a d m i tt e d o r d e n i e d h i s p r e s e n c e i n t h e gun b a t tl e c e n tr a l t o t h i s c a s e , a n d as s e r t e d t h e p a r ti c i p a ti o n o f o t h e r i nd i v i d u a l s i n t h e gun b a t tl e . *9 n o t p r e s e n t a t t h e gun b a t tl e . A t t h e J a n u a r y 8 , 2 0 1 6 h ea r i n g , t h i s C o u r t a l s o h ea r d a r gu m e n t o n t h e d i s c o v e r y m o ti o n a n d o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o s e a r c h i t s f il e s f o r a n y i n f o r m a ti o n w i t h r e s p e c t t o w h e t h e r H o m i c i d e d e t e c ti v e s h a d i n t e r v i e w e d C a s s i u s B r o a st e r o r R a f i S m i t h , a n d f u r t h e r o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o s e a r c h i t s f il e s f o r a n y i n f o r m a ti on w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e p u r p o r t e d p o li ce i n t e r v i e w o f J e r o m e B r o a st e r r e f e r e n ce d i n t h e p o li c e a c ti v i t y s h e e t . N . T . 1 / 8 / 1 6 a t 3 1 , 72 - 7 4 .

A t t h e e v i d e n ti a r y h e a r i n g c o n du c t e d o n J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 , i n a d d i ti o n t o h ea r i n g t e s ti m o n y o n p e ti ti o n e r ' s c l a i m f o r i n e ff e c ti v e a s s i s t a n c e o f c o u n s e l f o r f a ili n g t o p r e s e n t t h e d e f e n s e t h a t p e ti ti o n e r w a s no t p r e s e n t a t t h e gu n b a t tl e , t h i s C o u r t h e a r d t e s ti m o n y fr o m A ss i st a n t D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y s ( A D A ) M a r k G il s on , o n e o f t h e t r i a l p r o s e c u t o rs f o r t h i s c a s e , a s t o h i s r e a s on s f o r n o t t u r n i n g o v e r t h e R a f i S m i t h s t a t e m e n t t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p re t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . N . T . 1 / 2 6 / 1 6 , a t 2 02 , 2 1 0 - 1 4 . A D A G il s on t e s ti f i e d t h a t h e d i d n o t t u r n t h e s t a t e m e n t o v e r b e ca u s e i t i nd i c a t e d t h a t p e titi o n e r w a s p r e s e n t a t t h e s ce n e , a n d t h e r e f o r e h e d i d n o t c o n s i d e r i t t o b e e x c u l p a t o r y m a t e r i a l w h i c h h e w a s o b li g a t e d t o p r o v i d e t h e d e f e n s e u nd e r B r a d y . I d .

O n M ay 2 0 , 2 0 1 6 , t h i s C o u r t d e n i e d p e titi o n e r ' s c l a i m t h a t t r i a l c o u n s e l w a s i n e ff e c ti v e f o r f a il u r e t o p r e s e n t t h e d e f e n s e t h a t p e ti ti o n e r w a n t e d , i . e . , t h a t h e w a s n o t p r e s e n t a t t h e gu n b a t tl e , a n d o r d e r e d a n e v i d e n ti a r y h e a r i n g o n p e titi o n e r ' s c l a i m t h a t t r i a l c o u n s e l w a s i n e ff e c ti v e f o r f a il u r e t o p r op e r l y i n v e s ti g a t e a n d d e v e l o p t h e s e l f - d e f e n s e d e f e n s e t h a t h a d b e e n p r e s e n t e d a t t r i a l a g a i n s t p e ti ti o n e r ' s w i s h e s . N . T . 5 /20/ 1 6 , 9 , 1 4 . T h i s C o u r t a l s o h ea r d a r gu m e n t a nd a v e r m e n t s by t h e d e f e n s e t h a t D e t e c ti v e J a c k C u mm i n g s h a d t e s ti f i e d be f o r e b o t h a G r a nd J u r y a n d a t t r i a l , a n d t h a t t r i a l c oun s e l h a d n e v e r be e n t o l d a b o u t D e t e c ti v e C u mm i n g s ' t e s ti m o n y b e f o r e t h e G r a nd J u r y . N . T . 5 / 2 0/ 1 6 a t 1 8 - 20 . T h e C o u r t o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o p r o v i d e t h e d e f e n s e t h e D e t ec t i v e C u mm i n g s ' G r a n d J u r y t e s ti m on y , a s w e l l a s a n y t a p e s o r t r a n s c r i p t s o f e m e r g e n c y c a ll s m a d e t o 9 - 1 - 1 o n t h e d ay of t h e gu n ba t tl e . N . T . 5 /2 0 / 1 6 at 2 5 , 5 2 .

*10 O n J u l y 11 , 2 0 1 6 , p e ti ti o n e r r e n e w e d h i s e a r li e r r e q u e st f o r a ll i t e m s o f d i s c o v e r y , a r gu i n g t h a t t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h ' s f a il u r e t o p r ov i d e t h e e v i d e n ce r e g ar d i n g t h e t w o v e h i c l e s , t h e G r a n d J u r y t e s ti m o n y , t h e a c ti v i t y s h e e t r e f e r e n c i n g p o li ce c o n t a c t w i t h J e r o m e B r o a s t e r , a n d t h e R a f i S m i t h s t a t e m e n t c on s ti t u t e d e x ce p ti on a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h p r o v i d e d a b a s i s f o r t h e C o u r t t o o r d e r t h e P h il a d e l p h i a H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n t o p r o d u c e i t s e n ti r e f il e fr o m t h e i n v e s ti g a ti o n i n t o t h e gu n ba t tl e , s o t h a t d e f e n s e c ou n s e l c o u l d d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r a ll p e r ti n e n t a n d e x c u l p a t o r y i n f o r m a ti o n h a d i n f a c t b ee n p r o v i d e d . N . T . 7 /1 1 / 1 6 a t 2 - 1 5 . O v e r t h e o b j e c ti o n s of t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h , t h i s C o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s p a t t e r n of f a il u r e t o p r ov i de i n f o r m a ti o n i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y w h i c h w o u l d h a v e s u p p o r t e d p e ti ti o n e r ' s s e l f - d e f e n s e d e f e n s e s h o w e d e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s w a r r a n ti n g d i s c o v e r y of t h e H o m i c i d e i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e p u r s u a n t t o P a . R . C r i m . P . 9 02 ( E ) ( 1 ) . I d . a t 2 8 - 4 2 . T h e r e f o r e , t h i s C o u r t o r d e r e d t h e p r o d u c ti o n of t h a t e n ti r e i n v e s ti g a ti v e f il e t o t h e C o u r t ' s c h a m b e rs w i t h i n t w o w e e k s , s o t h a t t h e f il e c o u l d b e r e v i e w e d b y t h i s C o u r t , d ef e n s e c o u n s e l , a nd c o un s e l f o r t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h f o r a n y i n f o r m a ti o n w h i c h f a i r l y s ho u l d h a v e b e e n p r o v i d e d i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . ^{[1] [2]} I d . a t 4 1 - 3 . T h i s C o u r t f u r t h e r o r d e r e d t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h s h o u l d h a v e n o c on v e r s a ti o n s w i t h t h e H o m i c i d e d e t e c ti v e s i n v o l v e d i n t h e i n v e s ti g a ti o n w i t h r e s p ec t t o t h e s e d i s c o v e r y m a tt e r s . O n A u gu st 2 , 2 0 1 6 , t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h f il e d t h i s ti m e l y a p p e a l t o S u p e r i o r C o u r t . F A C T S ^[13]

P e titi o n e r a n d C a s s i u s B r o a s t e r w e r e f e u d i n g f o r o v e r f i v e ( 5 ) y e a r s be f o r e t h e f a t a l gu n b a t tl e c e n t r a l t o t h i s c a s e . N . T . 3 / 1 4 / 06 , a t 6 0 . I n D e ce m b e r o f 2 0 03 , C a s s i u s B r o a s t e r s h o t ^{[1] [2]} T h e C o u r t i n d i ca t e d t h a t i t w a s w illi n g t o a c c o mm od a t e a n y o f t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h ' s c o n ce r n s w i t h r e s p ec t t o t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e H o m i c i d e i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e a nd s u p e r v i s i on o f t h e r e v i e w o f t h e f il e . T h e s e c o n ce r n s w ere n o t s u b s t a n ti v e l y a d d r e s s e d , a s t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h i n s t e a d e l e c t e d t o f il e t h i s a pp e a l . ^[13] T h e f a c t s a r e s u b s t a n ti a ll y a s s t a t e d i n J u d g e G r e e n s p a n ' s P a . R . A . P . 1 9 2 5 ( a ) O p i n i o n f o r p e ti ti o n e r ' s d i r e c t a pp e a l , d a t e d J u l y 1 3 , 2 006 . *11 pe titi o n e r . N . T . 3 /8/0 6 , a t 3 1 0 - 1 1 . F o ll o w i n g h i s h o s p i t a li z a ti o n , p e ti ti o n e r m o v e d t o 1 9 1 2 S ou t h 1 7 t h S t r ee t , a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 , w i t h J e a n R e d d i c k , a f a m i l y m e m b e r . ^{[1] [4]} N . T . 3 / 1 0 / 0 6 a t 13 2 , 1 5 6 - 5 8 . A b ou t t w o ( 2 ) d a y s p r i o r t o t h e s ho o ti n g o f F a h e e m T h o m a s - C h il d s , t h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s a g a i n e n g a g e d i n a s hoo t o u t a t 2 4 t h a nd I n d i a n a A v e nu e . N . T . 3 / 1 4 / 0 6 a t 6 1 .

O n t h e m o r n i n g o f F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 0 4 , c o - d e f e n d a n t K e nn e ll S p a d y , p e ti ti o n e r , a n d a t h i r d m a l e , i d e n ti f i e d o n l y a s C h r i s , w e n t t o z3 r c 1 a n d C a m b r i a S t r e e t s , n e a r T h o m a s M . P i e r c e E l e m e n t a r y S c hoo l , t o m e e t R a f i S m i t h . N . T . 3 / 1 5/ 0 6 , a t 1 1 . S m i t h w a s p u r p o r t e d l y t a k i n g h i s c h il d t o s c h o o l t h a t d a y . N . T . 3 / 1 5 / 0 6 , a t 1 2 . A s t h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s m e t , C a s s i u s a nd J e r o m e B r o a st e r a r r i v e d i n a L i n c o l n . I d . a t 1 2 . T h e B r o a s t e r s g o t o u t o f t h e v e h i c l e a n d a n a r gu m e n t e n s u e d b e t w e e n t h e t w o g r o u p s . I d . T h e e v i d e n ce p r e s e n t e d a t t r i a l i s u n c l e a r r e g a r d i n g t h e s p e c i f i c d e t a il s o f t h e s u b s e qu e n t gu n b a t tl e t h a t e n s u e d .

C o - d e f e n d a n t S p a d y , i n a s t a t e m e n t g i v e n o n F e b r u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 04 , c l a i m e d t h a t J e r o m e B r o a s t e r a n d t h e n C a s s i u s B r o a s t e r f i r st b e g a n s h o o ti n g a t t h e d e f e nd a n t s . N . T . 3 / 1 5 /0 6 , a t 1 2 . A t h i r d i n d i v i d u a l , w h o w a s w i t h t h e B r o a s t e r s , b e g a n s h o o ti n g a s d i d c o - d e f e n d a n t S p a d y a n d t h o s e w i t h h i m . I d . I n h i s s t a t e m e n t , c o - d e f e n d a n t S p a d y a l s o a d m i t t e d t h a t h e w a s a r m e d w i t h a . 3 0 c a li b e r c a r b i n e s e m i - a u t o m a ti c r i f l e a n d t h a t R a f i S m i t h , C a s s i u s B r o a s t e r , a n d J e r o m e B r o a s t e r w e r e a ll a r m e d w i t h h a nd gu n s . I d . a t 1 6 .

T h e r e w a s a l s o e v i d e n c e t h r o u g h a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e w i t n e s s , R u s s e ll B r o w n , g i v e n o n F e b r u a r y 2 2 , 2 00 4 , t h a t f o ll o w i n g t h e ar g u m e n t be t w ee n p e ti ti o n e r a nd C a s s i u s B r o a st e r , p e ti ti on e r p u ll e d o u t a p i s t o l a n d r a n u p 2 3 r d S t r e e t . N . T . 3 / 8 / 0 6 , a t 3 0 7 . M r . B r o w n s u b s e q u e n tl y h ea r d s h o t s b e i n g f i r e d a n d t o ok c o v e r b e h i n d a c a r . I d . a t 3 0 7 - 1 1 . T h e s t a t e m e n t p r ov i d e d b y M r . B r o w n f u r t h e r i n d i c a t e s t h a t h e a l s o s a w a m a l e w i t h a s h o t g u n f u r t h e r u p o n 2 3 r d S t r ee t . I d . a t 31 2 . ^{[1] [4]} J e a n R e d d i c k r a i s e d p e ti ti o n e r a nd a l s o w as i n v o l v e d i n a r e l a ti o n s h i p w i t h p e ti ti o n e r ' s un c l e . N . T . 3 / 1 0 /0 6 , a t 1 32 .

*12 K e n d r a S e x t on t e s ti f i e d t h a t s h e a l s o s a w t w o g r o u p s o f m a l e s a r gu i n g . N . T . 3 / 1 4 / 0 6 , a t 8 5 . D u r i ng t h e a r gu m e n t o n e o f t h e m a l e s w a s l o c a t e d n e a r a g a r a g e a n d t h e o t h e r g r oup o f m a l e s w a s o n t h e o p p o s it e s i d e of t h e s t r e e t by P e i r c e E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l . I d . a t 8 5 - 8 8 . M s . S e x t o n f u r t h e r t e s ti f i e d t h a t s h e h a d t o l d p o li c e i n a s t a t e m e n t t a k e n o n F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 004 , t h a t t h e f i r s t g r o u p o f m a l e s , t h a t h a d b e e n b y t h e g a r a g e , h a d w a l k e d t o w a r d 2 3 r d S t r e e t a nd t h e n t u r n e d r i gh t o n t o 2 3 r d S t r e e t . I d . a t 9 8 . M s . S e x t o n a l s o t o l d p o li c e t h a t a m a l e fr o m t h e s e c o nd g r ou p t h e n w e n t t o h i s c a r , r e t r i e v e d a g u n , r a n i n t h e d i r e c ti o n o f t h e f i r st g r o u p a n d b e g a n s h o o ti n g . I d . a t 9 8 - 99 .

P o li c e O f f i c e r E u g e n e F r a s i e r a n d h i s p a r t n e r O ff i c e r E u n i c e A ll e n r e ce i v e d a r a d i o c a ll a t a pp r o x i m a t e l y 8 : 30 a . m . r e g a r d i n g t h e s h o o ti n g a n d w e r e t h e f i r st t o a r r i v e o n t h e s c e n e . N . T . 3 / 8/0 6 a t 5 - 6 . U p o n t h e i r a rr i v a l , t h ey f o u n d a c h il d b l ee d i n g fr o m w h a t a p p e a r e d t o be a gu n s h o t w o u nd o v e r t h e r i g h t e y e . I d . at 8 - 9 . T h e c h il d w a s l y i n g i n t h e e n t r a n c e o f t h e s c h oo l ya r d of t h e P e i r ce E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l , l o c a t e d a t 2 3 ' d a n d C a m b r i a . I d . a t 9 . T h e y ou n g m a l e , l a t e r i d e n ti f i e d as F a h e e m T h o m a s- C h il d s , w a s i mm e d i a t e l y t a k e n t o t h e e m e r g e n c y r o o m a t T e m p l e U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l . I d . a t 1 1 -1 4 , 1 7 . F a h ee m T h o m a s - C h il d s w a s o p e r a t e d u p on a t T e m p l e U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l b u t h i s c o n d i ti o n d e t e r i o r a t e d a n d o n F e b r u a r y 1 7 , 2 00 4 li f e s u p p o r t w a s d i s c o nn e c t e d . I d . a t 9 3 .

P o li c e O ff i c e r S u s a n E h r m a nn a l s o r e s po nd e d t o t h e s ce n e o f t h e s h o o ti n g . N . T . 3 / 8 / 0 6 , a t 9 5 . U p o n h e r a r r i v a l , O ff i c e r E h r m a n n f o u n d c r o s s i n g g u a r d D e b r a S m i t h w h o h a d s u s t a i n e d a b u ll e t w o u n d t o h e r r i g h t f o o t . I d . a t 9 8 - 99 . M s . S m i t h w a s t a k e n t o T e m p l e U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l w h e r e s h e w a s t r e a t e d . I d . a t 9 3 .

P o li c e O ff i c e r M a r k W illi f o r d w a s a l s o c a ll e d t o t h e s ce n e o n F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 0 4 . N . T . 3 / 9 / 0 6 , a t 4 - 5 . O f f i c e r W illi f o r d , a l o n g w i t h s e v e r a l o t h e r o ff i c e r s , c ond u c t e d a w a l k - t h r o u g h o f t h e s c e n e t o d o c u m e n t a n y p h y s i c a l e v i d e n ce . I d . a t 6 . O f f i c e r W i ll i f o r d t e s t i f i e d t h a t b e c a u s e t h e r e w a s a t r e m e n dou s a m oun t o f b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n c e a t t h e s c e n e a nd , d u e t o t h e l ar g e si z e of t h e c r i m e s c e n e ,

*13 ' t h e s i t u s w a s s u b s e q u e n tl y d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e ( 3 ) s m a ll e r r e g i on s . I d . a t 6 - 7 . Tw e l v e ( 1 2 ) p i e c e s o f b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n c e w e r e r ec o v e r e d i n t h e 2 8 0 0 b l o c k o f N o r t h 2 3 r d S t r e e t fr o m S o m e r s e t S t r e e t t o C a m b r i a S t r ee t . I d . a t 1 5 . S i x t y - o n e ( 61 ) p i ec e s o f b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n c e w e r e r e c o v e r e d i n t h e 29 0 0 b l o c k o f N o r t h 2 3 r d S t r e e t fr o m C a m b r i a S t r e e t t o I n d i a n a A v e nu e . l g . a t 6 5 - 6 6 . F i f t y - s i x ( 5 6 ) p i ec e s o f b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n c e w e r e r e c o v e r e d b e t w ee n t h e 2 3 00 t o 2 5 00 b l o c k s o f I n d i a n a S t r e e t . I d . a t 2 07 .

P o li c e O ff i c e r L e on a r d J o h n s o n , fr o m t h e F i r e a r m s I d e n ti f i ca ti o n U n i t i n t h e P h il a d e l p h i a Po li c e D e p a r t m e n t , p r o c e s s e d t h e b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n ce r e c ov e r e d fr o m t h e s c e n e . N . T . 3 / 1 3 / 0 6 , a t 1 0 9 - 1 0 . O f f i c e r J o h n s o n t es ti f i e d t o t h e p o s iti o n i n g a n d i d e n ti f i ca ti o n o f t h e v a r i o u s i t e m s r e c o v e r e d . I d . a t 1 0 9 - 2 0 1 . T h e r e w e r e : ( 1) a t o t a l o f t w e n t y ( 2 0 ) f i r e d c a r t r i d g e c a s i n g s fr o m a . 4 5 c a li be r s e m i - a u t o m a ti c h a n d gu n ; ( 2 ) a t o t a l o f t w e n t y - s e v e n ( 27 ) f i r e d c a r t r i d g e c a s i n g s fr o m a . 30 c a li b e r c a r b i n e s e m i - a u t o m a ti c r i f l e ; ( 3 ) a t o t a l o f e i g h t e e n ( 1 8 ) f i r e d c a r t r i d g e ca s i n g s fr o m a . 9 m illi m e t e r S W D c a li b e r f i r ea r m a nd t h r ee ( 3 ) f i r e d c a r t r i d g e c a s i n g s fr o m a . 9 m illi m e t e r H c a li b e r f i r ea r m ; ( 4 ) a t o t a l o f s e v e n ( 7 ) f i r e d c a r t r i dg e c a s i n g s fr o m a . 3 80 a u t o c a li b e r f i r e a r m ; a n d ( 5 ) a t o t a l of t h i r t e e n ( 1 3 ) f i r e d c a r t r i d g e c a s i n g s fr o m a . 3 5 7 . I d . at 1 2 9 - 7 1 . A d d i ti o n a ll y , t h e b u ll e t s u r g i c a ll y r e m ov e d fr o m t h e h e a d o f F a h ee m T h o m a s - C h il d s w a s s ho t fr o m a . 4 5 c a li b e r f i r ea r m a nd t h e p r o j e c til e r e m ov e d fr o m t h e r i g h t f o o t b e l o n g i n g t o D e b r a S m i t h w a s s ho t fr o m a . 9 m illi m e t e r f i r ea r m . I d . a t 1 8 0 - 82 , 1 8 8 .

O n t h e m o r n i n g o f F e b r u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 0 4 , L i e u t e n a n t S t e p h e n B e n n i s , a l o n g w i t h o t h e r m e m b e rs o f t h e S W A T U n i t , w e n t t o a pa r t m e n t 3 0 5 l o c a t e d a t 1 9 1 2 S o u t h 1 7 t h S t . t o s e r v e b o t h a n ar r e s t w a r r a n t f o r p e ti ti o n e r a n d a s e a r c h w a rr a n t f o r t h a t a p a r t m e n t . N . T . 3 / 1 0 / 06 , a t 3 - 4 . A f t e r s e a r c h i n g a p a r t m e n t 3 0 5 , a n d a f t e r r e c e i v i n g i n f o r m a ti o n t h a t p e ti ti o n e r c o u l d p o ss i b l y b e i n a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 , s e v e r a l o f f i c e r s w e n t t o t h a t l o c a ti on . I d . a t 1 1 - 1 3 . L i e u t e n a n t B e n n i s a n d t h e o t h e r o ff i ce r s kn o c k e d s e v e r a l ti m e s o n t h e d oo r o f a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 a nd a nn ou n c e d t h e i r p r e s e n ce . I d . a t *14 2 6 - 2 8 . F i n a ll y , t h e o ff i c e r s w e r e a d m i t t e d i n t o t h e a p a r t m e n t b y J o s e p h D a v i s . ^{[1] [5]} l d . a t 2 8 . P e ti ti o n e r a n d c o - d e f e nd a n t S p a d y w e r e b o t h f o und i n s i d e a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 a n d t h e y w e r e b o t h t a k e n i n t o c u s t o d y . I d . a t 3 0 - 33 . A s e a r c h w a r r a n t w a s t h e n o b t a i n e d f o r a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 a n d b o t h a pa r t m e n t 3 0 1 a n d 3 0 5 w e r e s e a r c h e d . N . T . 3 /10/0 6 , a t 96 - 9 8 . R e c o v e r e d i n t h e s e a r c h o f a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 u n d e r t h e m a t t r e ss w h e r e p e ti ti o n e r w a s f o u n d w a s a R ug e r . 4 5 c a li b e r s e m i - a u t o m a ti c h a nd gun w h i c h w a s l o a d e d w i t h o n e c h a m b e r e d . 4 5 c a li b e r r o un d a nd w h i c h a l s o c o n t a i n e d a m a g a z i n e t h a t c on t a i n e d e i g h t ( 8 ) li v e . 4 5 r o und s . I d . a t 9 8 - 1 0 0 . T h i s gun w a s d e t e r m i n e d by t h e ba lli s ti c i a n t o b e t h e m u r d e r w ea pon . N . T . 3 / 1 3 / 0 6 , a t 1 5 8 - 5 9 . L E G A L AN A L Y S I S :

T h e C o mm on w e a l t h r a i s e d t h e f o ll o w i n g i s s u e o n a pp e a l : 1 . W h e t h e r t h e P C R A c o u r t e rr e d i n o r d e r i ng d i s c ov e r y o f t h e C o mm o n w e a lt h ' s e n ti r e i n v e s ti g a ti v e f il e i n v i o l a ti o n of t h e i n v e s t i g a t i v e p r i v il e g e ^{[1] [6]} a n d t h e d i s c ov e r y p r o v i s i o n o f t h e P C R A . 1 ^[7]

O n a p p e a l , t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h c l a i m s t h a t t h i s C o u r t e rr e d i n g r a n ti n g p e ti ti o n e r ' s m o ti o n t o o r d e r t h e p r o d u c ti on o f t h e H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n ' s i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e , i n i t s e n ti r e t y , t o t h e C o u r t f o r t s J o s e p h D a v i s i s t h e b r o t h e r - i n - l a w o f J e a n R e d d i c k , w h o w a s t h e t e n a n t o f a p a r t m e n t 3 0 1 . N . T . 3 / 1 0 / 0 6 , a t 1 5 . ^{[1] [6]} T h e C o m m o n w e a l t h r e f e rs t o t h e c o m m o n - l a w " e x e c u ti v e p r i v i l e g e " r e c o g n i z e d i n C o mm o n w e a l t h y . K a u f f m a n , 6 0 5 A . 2d 1 2 4 3 , 1 2 4 6 - 4 8 ( P a . S u p e r . 1 9 9 2 ) , a nd r e f e r e n ce d i n B e n y . S c h w a r t z , 7 2 9 A . 2 d 5 4 7 , 5 5 3 ( P a . 1 9 9 9 ) . P r e l i m i n a r i l y , i t i s n o t e d t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a lt h p r e s e n t e d t h i s a r gu m e n t f o r t h e v e r y f i r s t ti m e i n i t s J u l y 1 8 , 2 0 1 6 M o t i o n t o R e c on s i d e r t h i s C o u r t ' s r u li n g , a nd n o t a t t h e J u l y 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 h ea r i n g o n t h i s d i s c o v e r y m o t i o n . E v e n i f w e w e r e t o r e a c h t h e m e r i t s , t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h ' s c l a i m w o u l d f a i l , as t h e s e m a t e r i a l s ar e n o t p r i v il e g e d : " T h [ e e x e c u ti v e p r i v il e g e f o r i n f o r m a t i on fr o m go v e r n m e n t i n v e s ti g a t i v e f il e s ] i s n o t a b s o l u t e b u t q u a li f i e d ; a nd , w h e n a s s e r t e d , r e q u i r e s t h e c o u r t t o b a l a n c e t h e go v e r n m e n t ' s i n t e r e st i n e n s u r i n g t h e s e c r e c y of t h e d o c u m e n ts w h o s e d i s c ov e r y i s s o u g h t a g a i n s t t h e n e e d o f t h e p r i v a t e li ti g a n t t o o b t a i n d i s c o v e r y of t h e r e l e v a n t m a t e r i a l s i n p o s s e ss i o n of t h e g ov e r n m e n t . " K a u ff m a n , 6 0 5 A . 2 d a t 1 2 4 7 . F u r t h e r , i t h as b ee n o b s e r v e d t h a t " t h e g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f c a s e s t h a t h a v e c on s i d e r e d t h e d i s c o v e r a b ili t y o f l a w e n f o r c e m e n t i n v e s ti g a ti on s h a v e h e l d t h a t i n g e n e r a l s u c h d i s c o v e r y s h o u l d b e b a r r e d i n o n go i n g i n v e s ti g a ti on s , b u t s h o u l d b e p e r m i t t e d w h e n t h e i n v e s t i g a t i on a n d p r o s e c u ti on h a v e be e n c o m p l e t e d . " I d . H e r e , as t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n a n d p r o s e c u t i o n of p e ti t i o n e r ' s i nv o l v e m e n t i n t h e f a t a l gun b a t tl e h a s b e e n c o n c l u d e d f o r s e v e r a l yea r s , t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h c a nn o t d e m o n s t r a t e a n i n t e r e st i n e n s u r i n g t h e s e c r e cy o f t h i s i n f o r m a t i on o u t w e i g h i ng t h e n ee d of p e t i t i o n e r t o d i s c o v er i n f o r m a t i o n w h i c h s u p p o r t s h i s c l a i m s f o r r e li ef und e r t h e P C R A , p a r ti c u l a r l y i n li g h t o f t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h ' s p a tt e r n o f w i t h h o l d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t s h o u l d h a v e b e e n p r o v i d e d i n p r e t r i a l d i s c ov e r y a s d i s c u s s e d s u pr a . T h e r e f o r e , t h i s C o u r t w ill n o t a d d r e ss t h i s i s s u e f u r t h e r ^{[1] [7]} T h i s C o u r t s t a t e s t h e i ss u e h e r e a s p h r a s e d i n t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s R u l e 1 9 2 5 ( b ) S t a t e m e n t of E r r o r s C o m p l a i n e d o f o n A p p e a l , h o w e v e r , t h i s p h r a s i n g i s s o m e w h a t m i s l ea d i n g . T h i s C o u r t ' s O r d e r p e r m i tt e d d i s c ov e r y of o n l y t h e P h il a d e l p h i a P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n ' s i n v e s ti g a ti v e f il e , a nd m a d e n o r u li n g w i t h r e s p ec t t o t h e f il e m a i n t a i n e d f o r t h i s m a t t e r b y t h e P h il a d e l p h i a D i s t r i c t A t t o r n ey ' s O f f i c e . *15 t h e p u r p o s e o f m a k i n g c op i e s of r e l e v a n t d o c u m e n t s c o n t a i n e d t h e r e i n . T h i s C o u r t h a s n o t f o u nd p re ce d e n t i n o u r j u r i s d i c ti o n w h i c h s p e c i f i c a ll y d e f i n e s o r p r o v i d e s f a c t o r s t o c o n s i d e r w h e n d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r " e x c e p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s " e x i s t t o j u s ti f y d i s c o v e r y i n t h e P C R A c o n t e x t .

T h i s C o u r t h e a r d l e n g t h y a r gu m e n t o n s e v e r a l o cc a s i o n s w i t h r e s p ec t t o t h e d i s c o v e r y m o ti o n a n d P C R A c oun s e l ' s b a s i s f o r t h e m o ti o n , e n t er t a i n i n g t h e C o mm on w ea l t h ' s a r gu m e n t t h a t t h e m o ti o n w a s o v er l y b r o a d a n d a m e r e " f i s h i n g e x p e d i ti o n . " F o ll o w i n g p r o ff er s b y P C R A c o u n s e l w h i c h l e d t o f i n d i n g s b y t h i s C o u r t t h a t t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h h a d kn o w i n g l y a n d de li b e r a t e l y w i t h h e l d s e v e r a l d o c u m e n t s a n d i t e m s o f e v i d e n c e w h i c h w o u l d h a v e s up p o r t e d p e titi o n e r ' s t h e o r y o f s e l f - d e f e n s e a t t r i a l , t h i s C o u r t o r d e r e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o p r o d u ce t h a t e v i d e n c e . A t ea c h oc c a s i o n , t h e C o mm on w ea l t h m a i n t a i n e d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e w a s n o t e x c u l p a t o r y w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f B r a d y a n d t h a t i t h a d b e e n u nd e r n o o b li g a ti o n t o f u r n i s h t h i s e v i d e n ce t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . W h e n i t be c a m e c l e a r t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h h a d e x h i b it e d a p a t t e r n o f w i t h ho l d i n g e v i d e n c e w h i c h s h o u l d h a v e b e e n s u p p li e d i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y , t h i s C o u r t f o u n d t h a t e x c e p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n ce s h a d b e e n e s t a b li s h e d a nd o r d e r e d t h e p r o d u c ti o n o f t h e i n v e s ti g a ti v e f il e t o t h e C o u r t f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f e x a m i n i n g t h e f il e i n c a m e r a i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f b o t h P C R A c o un s e l a n d c o un s e l f o r t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h . F o r t h e f o ll o w i n g r e a s o n s , t h i s C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n s h o u l d b e af f i r m e d .

P e n n s y l v a n i a R u l e of C r i m i n a l P r o ce d u r e 9 02 ( E ) p r o v i d e s t h e g e n e r a l r u l e t h a t d i s c o v e r y i s n o t p e r m i t t e d w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f a p e ti ti o n f o r r e l i e f u n d e r t h e P C R A . P a . R . C r i m . P . 9 0 2 ( E ) ( 1 ) . U n l e s s t h e pe ti ti o n e r h a s r ece i v e d a s e n t e n ce o f d e a t h , a P C R A c o u r t m ay o n l y o r d e r d i s c o v e r y d u r i n g t h e p r o c ee d i n g s " af t e r a s h o w i n g o f e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s .' ? " I d . N e i t h e r t h e P C R A n o r t h e P e n n s y l v a n i a R u l e s o f C r i m i n a l P r o ce d u r e a p p li c a b l e t o P C R A p r o cee d i n g s d e f i n e " e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m st a n ce s , " i n s t e a d , " i t i s f o r t h e [ P C R A J c o u r t , i n i t s d i s c r e ti o n , t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r a c a s e i s ^[18] I n a f i r s t p e ti ti o n f o r p o s t - c o n v i c ti on r e li e f , w h e r e t h e p e ti ti on e r h a s r ece i v e d a s e n t e n c e o f d e a t h , t h e R u l e p e r m i t s d i s c o v e r y u p on a s ho w i n g o f t h e l e s s e r " g o od c a u s e" st a nd a r d . P a . R . C r i m . P . 9 0 2 ( E ) ( 2 ) . P e ti ti on e r ' s c a s e d i d n o t q u a li f y f o r t h e " go od c a u s e " s t a n d a r d f o r d i s c o v e r y a s h e d i d no t r e c e i v e a s e n t e n c e o f d ea t h , a s d i s c u s s e d s up r a .

1 *16 e x c e p ti o n a l a n d d i s c ov e r y i s t h e r e f o r e w a r r a n t e d . " C o mm o n w e a l t h v . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d 6 0 5 , 6 1 1 ( P a . S u p e r . 2 0 1 2 ) c i t i n g C o mm o n w e a l t h v . D i c k e r s o n , 9 0 0 A . 2 d 4 07 , 4 1 2 ( P a . S u p e r . 2 006 ) . A pp e ll a t e c o u r t s w ill n o t d i s t u r b a P C R A c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e e x i s t e n ce o f e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s u n l e s s t h e c o u r t h a s a b u s e d i t s d i s c r e ti on . I d . , c i t i ng C o mm on w e a l t h v . L a r k , 7 4 6 A . 2 d 5 8 5 , 5 9 1 ( P a . 20 0 0 ) . " A n a bu s e of d i s c r e ti o n i s n o t a m e r e e r r o r i n j u d g m e n t . .. [ i ] n st e a d , i t i s a d e c i s i on b a s e d o n b i a s , ill w ill , p a r ti a li t y , p r e j u d i c e , m a n i f e s t u n r e a s on a b l e n e s s , o r m i s a pp li c a ti o n o f l a w . " I d . , c i t i n g C o mm o n w e a l t h v . R il e y , 1 9 A . 3 d 1 1 4 6 , 1 1 4 9 ( P a . S u p e r . 2 0 1 1 ) . H e r e , t h e b u r d e n i s o n t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t a n a b u s e o f d i s c r e ti o n h a s o cc u r r e d . I d . , c i t i ng C o mm o n w ea l t h v . B e n n e tt , 1 9 A . 3 d 5 4 1 , 5 4 3 ( P a . S u p e r . 2 0 1 1 ) ( " It i s a n a p p e ll a n t ' s b u r d e n t o p e r s u a d e [ S up e r i o r C o u r t ] t h a t t h e P C R A c o u r t e r r e d a n d t h a t r e li ef i s d u e . " ) .

T h e m e r e s p e c u l a ti o n t h a t e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n c e m a y e x i st do e s n o t c o n s ti t u t e a n e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m st a n c e w a r r a n ti n g d i s c o v e r y . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 6 1 2 , c i ti n g D i c k e r s on , 9 0 0 A . 2 d at 4 1 2 . H o w e v e r , j u s t be c a u s e a p e ti ti o n e r d o e s no t kn o w f o r c e r t a i n w h a t a r e qu e s t e d i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e c o n t a i n s d o e s no t m ea n t h a t t h e p e ti ti o n e r i s i m p r o p e r l y " f i s h i n g " f o r d i s c o v e r y ; s o l o n g a s t h e d i s c o v e r y r e q u e st s a r e p a r ti c u l a r t o s p e c i f i c d o c u m e n ts b a s e d o n a r ea s o n a b l e t h e o r y t h a t t h o s e d o c u m e n t s w o u l d c o n t a i n e v i d e n ce t e n d i n g t o s u p p o r t p e ti ti o n e r ' s t h e o r y f o r r e li e f . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 61 2 - 1 3 . T h e F r e y c o u r t f o un d e x ce p ti on a l c i r c u m st a n c e s w h e r e t h e pe ti ti o n e r ' s d i s c ov e r y r e qu e s t w a s s t r u c t u r e d i n s u c h a f a s h i o n , a n d w h e r e t h e r e q u e st w a s p r e m i s e d o n a t h e o r y o f t h e f a c t s t h a t c a s t d o u b ts o n t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h ' s p re s e n t a ti o n of t h e f a c t s a t t r i a l . I d . a t 6 0 8 .

I n F r e y , t h e p e titi o n e r w a s c o n v i c t e d o f m u r d e r o f t h e f i r st d e g r e e be f o r e t h e b od y o f t h e d ece d e n t , H o p e t h a n Jo h n s o n ( j o hn s o n ) , w a s a c t u a ll y f o und . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 61 1 . W h e n t h e b od y o f J o h n s o n w a s d i s c ov e r e d y e a rs l a t e r , f o r e n s i c e v i d e n c e ar gu a b l y s u gg e s t e d t h a t m u l ti p l e p e r s on s w e r e i n v o l v e d i n t h e s h o o t i n g d e a t h , w h i c h h a d n o t b e e n p a r t o f t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h ' s p r o s e c u t i o n t h e o r y o r s u p po r t e d b y t h e d i s c o v e r y m a t e r i a l s t o w h i c h t h e p e ti ti on e r ha d h a d a c c e s s a t t r i a l . I d .

1 *17 T h i s n e w e v i d e n ce s u gg e st e d a li n k b e t w e e n t h e m u r d e r o f J ohn s on a n d t h e d e a t h o f S t a cy F a r m e r ( F a r m e r ) , a n a s s o c i a t e o f t h e p e ti ti o n e r w h o , w h il e p e ti ti o n e r w a s i n c u st o d y a n d a w a i ti n g c h a r g e s , w a s f o u n d s h o t d e a d . I d . T h e e v i d e n c e a r gu a b l y s u gg e s t e d e i t h e r a c o mm o n k ill e r o r a n a cc o m p li ce o f t h e p e titi o n e r t o t h e m u r d e r o f J o h n s o n w h o h a d t h e n c o mm i t t e d t h e m u r d e r o f F a r m e r . l g . F u r t h e r , t h e r e w e r e s o m e i n d i c a ti on s w i t h i n t h e r e c o r d t h a t p o li c e s u s p e c t e d t h e i n vo l v e m e n t o f F a r m e r i n t h e m u r d e r o f J ohn s o n , b u t d i d n o t i n v e s ti g a t e t h e s e s u s p i c i o n s w h e n F a r m e r w as f o u nd d ea d . I d . a t 6 08 .

T h e pe titi o n e r i n F r e y a ll e g e d i n h i s P C R A p e ti ti o n t h a t J oh n s o n ' s k ill e r , o r a n a c c o m p li ce t h e r e t o , m a y h a v e k ill e d F a r m e r b ec a u s e h e f e a r e d t h a t F a r m e r w a s g o i n g t o r e v e a l f a c t s w h i c h h e kn e w a b ou t J oh n s o n ' s d ea t h . I d . T h e p e titi o n e r i n F r ey f il e d a m o ti o n s ee k i n g d i s c ov e r y o f p o li c e a n d b a lli s ti c r e p o r t s , e y e w i t n e ss s t a t e m e n ts , p ho t og r a p h s , a n d a u t o p s y r e p o r t s r e g ar d i n g t h e d e a t h o f F a r m e r , a ll o f w h i c h h e c o n t e n d e d c o u l d d e m o n s t r a t e s i m il a r i ti e s b e t w e e n t h e m u r d e rs o f F a r m e r a nd J o h n s on a nd p o t e n ti a ll y i n d i c a t e a c o mm o n s h o o t e r . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 6 0 8 - 9 . T h e F r e y c o u r t up h e l d t h e P C R A c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g o f e x ce p ti on a l c i r c u m st a n c e s , f i n d i n g t h a t t h e unu s u a l f a c t s o f t h e c a s e a n d t h e m u l ti p l e i n d i c a ti o n s t h a t t h e t w o m u r d e r s m i g h t b e c o n n ec t e d c o n s ti t u t e d e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m st a n ce s . I d . a t 61 2 . F r ey r e j e c t e d t h e C o m m o n w ea l t h ' s a r gu m e n t s t h a t d i s c o v e r y s h o u l d n o t h a v e b ee n g r a n t e d o n t h e ba s i s t h a t t h e P C R A c o u r t h a d i t s e l f e x p r e s s e d s k e p ti c i s m a bo u t w h e t h e r t h e p e ti ti o n e r ' s t h e o r y o f t h e f a c t s w o u l d u l ti m a t e l y p r ov e t o b e t r u e :

[ T ] h e c ou r t ' s e x p r e s s i o n o f s k e p ti c i s m w a s a cc o m p a n i e d b y t h e c o u r t ' s r a ti o n a l a n a l y s i s a nd c o n c l u s i o n t h a t i t w a s " ce r t a i n l y p o s s i b l e" t h a n a n u nkn o w n p e rs on w h o w a s i n v o l v e d i n t h e J o h n s o n m u r d e r l a t e r k ill e d F a r m e r . T h i s p o s s i b ili t y , i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e s o m e w h a t u n c o mm o n c a s e f a c ts . .. l e d t h e c o u r t t o c o n c l u d e t h a t t h i s m a tt e r w a s a n e x c e p ti o n a l o n e .

F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 61 2 . F r e y r e c o gn i z e d t h a t m e r e s p e c u l a ti o n t h a t e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n ce m i g h t e x i s t d i d n o t c o n s ti t u t e e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s t o w a r r a n t d i s c o v e r y , b u t m a i n t a i n e d t h a t t h e p a r ti c u l a r f a c t s o f t h e c a s e s u gg e s t e d t h a t i n f o r m a ti o n t h a t s u p po r t e d t h e p e ti ti o n e r ' s t h e o r y m i g h t b e i n t h e

1 *18 investigative files. Id. Therefore, "[i]t [was] not manifestly unreasonable to conclude that witness statements and/ or other evidence contained in the Farmer investigative file would thus be relevant to the facts of the Johnson murder." Id. Frey found that the Commonwealth's characterization of the discovery request as a mere "fishing expedition" was unjustified:

The fact that Frey does not know for certain what the Farmer investigation file contains does not mean that he is improperly "fishing." Parties frequently do not know with certainty the contents of requested materials. Indeed, this lack of knowledge is often the main reason, though not the only possible reason, that discovery requests are made in criminal cases. Frey, 41 A.3d at 612.

Reasoning that the petitioner had made particular requests for specific documents based on the reasonable theory that those documents may have contained evidence tending to show a common killer of Farmer and Johnson, and that the facts of record did suggest such a link, Frey held that the discovery request was not a baseless or speculative request properly described as a "fishing expedition." Id. at 612-13. Frey also noted that the question before the court was whether the PCRA court had abused its discretion in deciding to order discovery and not whether the petitioner deserved substantive relief, rejecting the Commonwealth's arguments based on the merits of the petitioner's claims. Id. at 613. Frey further found that the Commonwealth's briefing failed to demonstrate how granting the motion would result in detriment to the Commonwealth's interests, short of a cursory assertion that the search warrants on the Farmer case had been sealed. Id. Finding that the PCRA court had evaluated the facts and found exceptional circumstances based on the unusual case history and the reasonable belief that the grant of discovery would reveal evidence supporting one or more of the petitioner's PCRA theories, Frey ruled that the PCRA court had not abused its discretion and affirmed the grant of discovery. Id.

Here, this Court evaluated the facts and determined that this case involved exceptional circumstances-namely, the intense public attention with respect to the outcome of the gun battle, the sheer volume and complexity of the evidence collected, and this Court's finding that the

13 *19 C o mm o n w ea l t h i m p r o p e r l y w i t h h e l d e v i d e n c e w h i c h f a i r l y s u p p o r t e d p e ti ti o n e r ' s s e l f - d e f e n s e d e f e n s e a nd s u p po r t e d a r e a s o n a b l e t h e o r y t h a t u n r e l e a s e d c o n t e n ts of t h e f il e w o u l d r e v e a l f u r t h e r e v i d e n c e s u p po r ti n g p e ti ti on e r ' s c l a i m s f o r r e li ef . T h i s C o u r t f o un d t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h ' s p a t t e r n o f w i t hh o l d i n g e v i d e n ce w h i c h t e n d e d t o s u p p o r t p e ti ti o n e r ' s t r i a l d e f e n s e t h e o r y w a s p a r ti c u l a r l y e g r e g i o u s a n d t r oub li n g i n li g h t of J u dg e G r ee n s p a n ' s h a v i n g pu t t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h o n no ti ce a t t h e v e r y b e g i n n i ng o f p e t iti o n e r ' s t r i a l t h a t a n y i n f o r m a ti o n s u p po r ti n g s e l f - d e f e n s e s h o u l d be t r ea t e d a s e x c u l pa t o r y , a nd h a v i n g o r d e r e d A D A G il s o n t o f u r n i s h a n y s u c h i n f o r m a ti o n t o p e ti ti o n e r un d e r t h r ea t o f r e v e rs a l :

T H E C O U R T : L e t m e t e ll y ou b o t h , i f t h e r e i s a n y e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n ce a n d t h a t m ea n s a n y t h i n g t h a t w o u l d g i v e t h e m e i t h e r s e l f - d e f e n s e o r vo l u n t a r y m a n s l a ugh t e r , a n y t h i n g t h a t g o e s a l o n g t h a t r o u t e , m o ti v e f r o m t h e o t h e r si d e t o s h oo t t h a t d a y , t h e n y o u be tt e r g i v e i t t o [ p e titi o n e r o r t r i a l c o u n s e l ] . M R . G I L S ON : A b s o l u t e l y , u nd e rs t o o d . W e w ill . T H E C O U R T : O r t h i s c a s e w ill g e t r e v e r s e d b y m e . M R . G I L S O N : I t g o e s w i t h ou t s a y i n g w e w ill p r o v i d e a n y o f t h a t i n f o r m a ti o n , Y o u r H o no r .

N . T . 3 / 6 /0 6 a t ^{[7] [7]} , ^{[1] [9]} If e v i d e n c e i n t h e f il e s o ug h t b y pe ti ti o n e r ' s d i s c ov e r y m o ti o n h a d b ee n p r ov i d e d i n d i s c o v e r y t o t r i a l c oun s e l , p e ti ti o n e r m a y d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e f a il u r e t o d o s o c a u s e d pe titi o n e r p r e j u d i ce .

F u r t h e r , t h i s C o u r t ' s f i n d i n g s t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h w i t h h e l d fr o m p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y e v i d e n c e p o t e n ti a ll y e x c u l p a t o r y t o p e ti ti o n e r i m p li c a t e s t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s o b li g a t i o n s u nd e r B ra d y , a n d f u r t h e r s u pp o r ts a f i n d i n g o f e x c e p ti o n a l c i r c w n s t a n c e s . ^{[1] [9]} A D A G il s o n t e s ti f i e d t h a t h e h a d r e v i e w e d t h e G a rr a w a y m e m o r a n d u m i n p re p a r a ti on f o r t r i a l a n d t h a t t h e m e m o ra nd w n w as i n t h e f il e m a d e a v a il a b l e t o h i m b e f o r e p e ti ti o n e r ' s t r i a l b e g a n . N . T . 1 / 2 6 / 1 6 a t 1 9 7 - 2 0 0 . D e s p i t e J u d g e G r e e n s p a n ' s un a m b i gu o u s d i r ec ti v e , a n d i n f u ll kn o w l e d g e t h a t J u d g e G r e e n s p a n ' s o r d e r a p p li e d t o e v i d e n c e s u c h a s t h e G a rr a w a y m e m o ra n d u m , A D A G il s on c ho s e t o d i sr e g ar d h e r d i r ec ti v e a nd t o s u p p re s s t h e G a rr a w a y m e m o r a n d u m .

1 *20 B r a d y v . M a r y l a n d , 3 7 3 U . S . 8 3 , ( 1 96 3 ) , o b li g es a p r o s e c u t o r t o d i s c l o s e "a ll e xc u l p a t o r y i n f o r m a ti o n m a t e r i a l t o t h e gu il t o r p u n i s h m e n t o f a n a cc u s e d , i n c l u d i n g e v i d e n c e o f a n i m p eac h m e n t n a t u r e . " C o mm o n w ea l t h v . C h m i e l , 3 0 A . 3 d 1 11 1 ( P a . 2 0 1 1 ) .

I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o e m p h a s i z e t h a t t h e d i s c l o s u r e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f B ra d y a r e n o t li m i t e d t o p u r e l y e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n ce ; i m p e a c h m e n t e v i d e n ce a l s o f a ll s w i t h i n B r a d y ' s p a r a m e t e rs a nd m u s t b e d i s c l o s e d b y t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h . C o mm o n w ea l t h v . A n ti d o r m i , 8 4 A . 3 d 7 36 , 7 4 7 , ( P a . S u pe r . 2 0 1 4 ) , a ll o c a t u r d e n i e d , 9 5 A . 3 d 2 75 ( P a . 2 0 1 4 ) ; C o mm o n w e a l t h v . H e r r i c k , 6 60 A . 2 d 51 , 6 0 ( P a . S u p e r . 1 9 9 5 ) ( " E x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n ce i s e v i d e n c e t h a t i s m a t e r i a l t o a d e t e r m i n a ti on o f gu il t o r i n no ce n c e o r a ff e c t s t h e c r e d i b ili t y o f k e y p r o s e c u ti on w i t n e s s e s . . . [i] m p e ac h m e n t e v i d e n c e . . . do e s f a ll w i t h i n t h e B ra d y r u l e . . . [ m ] o r e o v e r , e v i d e n c e o f f a b r i c a ti o n i s a l w a y s e x c u l p a t o r y . " ) . T h e o b li g a ti o n t o d i s c l o s e a l s o " ex t e n d s t o e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n c e i n t h e f il e s of p o li c e a g e n c i e s o f t h e s a m e g o v e r n m e n t b r i n g i n g t h e p r o s e c u ti on . " I d . , c i t i n g C o mm o n w e a l t h v . P uk s a r , 9 5 1 A . 2 d 26 7 , 2 8 1 ( P a . 2 00 8 ) . M o r e o v e r , t h e d u t y t o d i s c l o s e i s " o n go i n g ; i n f o r m a ti o n t h a t m a y b e d ee m e d i mm a t e r i a l up o n o r i g i n a l e x a m i n a ti o n m a y be c o m e i m p o r t a n t a s t h e p r o cee d i n g s p r o g r e s s , a n d t h e ( C o mm o n w ea l t h ) w o u l d b e o b li g a t e d t o r e l ea s e i n f o r m a ti o n m a t e r i a l t o t h e f a i r n e s s o f t h e t r i a l . " P e n n s y l v a n i a v . R i t c h i e , 4 8 0 U . S . 3 9 , 6 0 ( 1 9 8 7 ) .

A l t h o u gh s ub s t a n ti v e B r a d y c l a i m s a r e c o gn i z a b l e u n d e r t h e P C R A . , � d o e s n o t g o v e r n t h e s c op e o f d i s c ov e r y u nd e r t h e P C R A . C o mm o n w ea l t h v . W illi a m s , 8 6 A . 3 d 7 71 , 7 8 8 ( P a . 2 0 1 4 ) . W h il e t h e d u t y u nd e r B r a d y i s b o t h a n a ff i r m a ti v e a nd c o n ti n u i n g d u t y up o n t h e g o v e r n m e n t , i t e s t a b li s h e s n o s p e c i f i c r i g h t i n t h e p e ti ti on e r t o r e v i e w t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s f il e t o s e e i f h e a g r ee s w i t h t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s r e p r e s e n t a ti o n t h a t i t h a s d i s c l o s e d a ll m a t e r i a l s t o w h i c h t h e d ef e n s e i s e n ti tl e d . I d . T h e r i g h t t o d i s c o v e r e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n ce d o e s n o t i n c l u d e t h e u n s u p e r v i s e d a u t h o r i t y t o s e a r c h t h r o u g h t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s f i l e s , a n d a d e f e n d a n t a l o n e m a y n o t m a k e t h e d e t e r m i n a ti o n a s t o t h e m a t e r i a li t y o f t h e i n f o r m a ti o n . I d . H o w e v e r , a n i n c a m e r a i n s p e c ti on o f t h e

1 *21 C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s f il e m ay b e w a r r a n t e d w h e r e t h e r e i s r ea s o n t o be li e v e t h a t e v i d e n c e f a v o r a b l e t o t h e d e f e n s e w ill b e r e v e a l e d . C o mm o n w ea l t h v . W a t s o n , 5 1 2 A . 2d 1 2 6 1 , 1 2 66 ( P a . S up e r . 1 9 8 6 ), ( " A n i n c a m e r a i n s p e c ti o n o f t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s f il e i s n o t r e q u i r e d un l e s s t h e r e i s r ea s o n t o b e li e v e t h a t e v i d e n c e f a v o r a b l e t o t h e d e f e n s e w ill b e r e v e a l e d . " ) , c i ti n g C o mm o n w e a l t h v . C o l s o n , 4 9 0 A . 2d 81 1 , 8 22 ( P a . 1 9 85 ), ab r o g a t e d o n o t h e r g r o u n d s l r y C o mm on w ea l t h v . B u r k e , 7 8 1 A . 2 d 1 1 3 6 ( P a . 2 00 1 ) .

T o e s t a b li s h a B r a d y v i o l a ti o n , a p e ti ti o n e r m u s t p r ov e t h r e e e l e m e n t s : 1 ) t h e e v i d e n ce a t i s s u e w a s f a v o r a b l e t o t h e a c c u s e d , e i t h e r be c a u s e i t i s e x c u l p a t o r y o r b e c a u s e i t i m p e ac h e s ; 2 ) t h e e v i d e n c e w a s s u p p r e s s e d by t h e p r o s e c u ti o n , e i t h e r w ill f u ll y o r i n a d v e r t e n tl y ; a n d , 3 ) p r e j u d i c e e n s u e d . C h m i e l , 3 0 A . 3 d a t 1 1 2 9 - 3 0 . W h il e t h e qu e s ti o n b e f o r e t h i s C o u r t o n t h e d i s c o v e r y r e qu e s t w a s w h e t h e r e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s w e r e p r e s e n t , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o r e c o gn i z e t h e s u b s t a n c e a nd c o n t o u r s o f t h e u nd e r l y i n g m e r i t s w h e n c on s i d e r i n g t h e p r op r i e t y of a d i s c ov e r y r e q u e s t . F r e y , 4 1 A . 3 d a t 6 1 3 .

H e r e , t h i s C o u r t f o un d e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n ce s i n p a r t d u e t o f i n d i n g s t h a t t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h h a d i m p r o p e r l y w i t h h e l d fr o m t h e d e f e n s e e v i d e n ce o t h e r w i s e r e q u i r e d t o b e p r ov i d e d i n p r e t r i a l d i s c ov e r y , i n c l u d i n g : 1 ) t h e s t a t e m e n t o f R a f i S m i t h m a d e t o D a v i d G a r r o w a y ; a nd , 2 ) t h e f o r e n s i c e v i d e n c e a n d t e s ti n g d on e o n t h e p a i r o f v e h i c l e s w h i c h w e r e b e li e v e d t o h a v e b e e n i n v o l v e d i n t h e g u n b a t tl e .

T h e f i r s t c o m p o n e n t o f a B r a d y v i o l a ti o n r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e a t i s s u e i s f a v o r a b l e t o t h e a c c u s e d b e ca u s e i t i s e i t h e r e x c u l p a t o r y o r i m p e a c h i n g . C h i n i e l , 3 0 A . 3 d a t 1 1 2 9 . W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e i n s t a n t c a s e , e v i d e n c e w o u l d h a v e b e e n f a v o r a b l e o r e x c u l p a t o r y t o pe ti t i o n e r , a n d t h e r e f o r e r e q u i r e d f o r d i s c l o s u r e b y t h e C o mm o n w ea l t h , i f i t t e nd e d t o s u p p o r t p e t i t i o n e r ' s t r i a l d e f e n s e o f s e l f - d e f e n s e o r t e n d e d t o i m p e a c h t h e c r e d i b ili t y o f w i t n e s s e s o ff e r e d a g a i n st h i m . A s p e ti ti o n e r w a s c h a r g e d w i t h f i r s t - d e g r e e m u r d e r , a s u cc e s s f u l s e l f - d e f e n s e d e f e n s e w o u l d h a v e r e s u l t e d i n e i t h e r a n

1 *22 a c q u i t t a l o r a c on v i c ti o n o f vo l u n t a r y m a n s l a u g h t e r f o r s o - c a ll e d " i m p e r f e c t s e l f - d e f e n s e . " C o mm o n w e a l t h v . S e p u l v e d a , S S A . 3 d 1 1 0 8 , 1 1 2 4 - 2 5 ( P a . 2 0 1 2 ) . T o p r e v a il o n s u c h a d e f e n s e , t h e r e m u st b e e v i d e n ce t h a t t h e p e ti ti o n e r " ( a ) r e a s on a b l y be li e v e d h e w a s i n i mm i n e n t d a n g e r o f d e a t h o r s e r i o u s b o d il y i n j u r y a nd t h a t i t w a s n e c e s s a r y t o u s e d e a d l y f o r c e a g a i n st t h e v i c ti m t o p r e v e n t s u c h h a r m ; ( b ) t h a t t h e [ p e ti ti o n e r ] w a s fr ee fr o m f a u l t i n p r o vo k i n g t h e d i f f i c u l t y w h i c h c u l m i n a t e d i n t h e s l a y i n g ; a n d ( c ) t h a t t h e [ p e titi o n e r ] d i d n o t v i o l a t e a n y d u t y t o r e t r e a t . " I d . , c i t i n g C o mm o n w e a l t h v . S a m u e l , 5 9 0 A . 2 d 1 2 4 5 , 1 2 4 7 - 4 8 ( P a . 1 9 9 1 ) . F o r t h e d e r i v a ti v e a n d l e ss e r de f e n s e o f i m p e r f e c t s e l f d e f e n s e , t h e r e m u s t b e e v i d e n ce t h a t t h e p e titi o n e r ' s be li e f t h a t d ea d l y f o r c e w a s n ece s s a r y w a s u n r ea s o n a b l e r a t h e r t h a n r e a s on a b l e , a n d a ll o t h e r p r i n c i p l e s o f j u s ti f i ca ti o n m u s t b e s a ti s f i e d . I d . a t 1 1 2 4 . T h e r e f o r e , a n y e v i d e n ce h a v i n g a n y b e a r i n g o n t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f p e ti ti o n e r ' s b e li e f i n i mm i n e n t d a n g e r o f d ea t h o r b o d il y i n j u r y , w h e t h e r t h e B r o a s t e r g r o up w a s t h e a gg r e s s o r i n t h e gu n ba t tl e , o r w h e t h e r p e ti ti o n e r r e t r ea t e d , w o u l d b e B ra d y m a t e r i a l r e q u i r i n g d i s c l o s u r e .

T h e s e c on d c o m p o n e n t o f a B r a d y v i o l a ti o n r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e a t i s s u e b e s upp r e s s e d by t h e g o v e r n m e n t , e i t h e r w ill f u ll y o r i n a d v e r t e n tl y . C h m i e l , 3 0 A . 3 d a t 1 1 2 9 - 30 . E v i d e n c e , w h e t h e r i n t h e p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e p r o s e c u ti o n o r t h e p o li ce , i s s ub j e c t t o t h e B r a d y d u t y t o d i s c l o s e . I n o r d e r t o c o m p l y w i t h B r a d y , " t h e i n d i v i d u a l p r o s e c u t o r h a s a d u t y t o l e a r n of a n y f a vo r a b l e e v i d e n ce kn o w n t o t h e o t h e r s a c ti n g o n t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s b e h a l f i n t h i s c a s e , i n c l u d i n g t h e p o li c e . " K y l e s v . W h i t l e y , 5 1 4 U . S . 4 1 9 , 4 3 7 ( 1 9 95 ) . Fo r o v e r a d e c a d e , o u r S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s e nd o rs e d t h a t s a m e p r i n c i p l e . B u r k e , 7 8 1 A . Z d a t 1 1 4 2 n . S ( f i n d i n g i t i mm a t e r i a l t h a t a p r o s e c u t o r w a s u n a w a r e of r e l e v a n t s t a t e m e n ts i n p o li ce f il e s , g i v e n t h a t " [ t ] h i s C o u r t c a n n o t i gn o r e t h e o bv i o u s i m p li c a ti o n s o f K y l e s . " ) ; Co mm o n w e a l t h v . G i b s o n , 9 5 1 A . 2 d 1 1 1 0 , 1 1 2 7 ( P a . 2 00 8 ) ( " T h e p r o s e c u ti o n ' s du t y u n d e r B r a d y i n c o r p o r a t e s d i s c l o s u r e o f a ll e x c u l p a t o r y e v i d e n c e , r e g a r d l e s s of

1 *23 w h e t h e r t h e d e f e n s e s p e c i f i c a ll y r e qu e s ts s u c h m a t e r i a l s , a nd e x t e nd s t o e v i d e n ce i n t h e p o s s e s s i o n o f p o li c e a g e n c i e s o f t h e s a m e g ov e r n m e n t b r i n g i n g t h e p r o s e c u ti o n . " ) ( i n t e r n a l c i t a ti o n s o m i t t e d j / "

A t t h e J a nu a r y 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 e v i d e n ti a r y h e a r i n g , t h i s C o u r t a s k e d f o r A D A G il s on t o e x p l a i n t h e c o n t e x t o f R a f i S m i t h ' s s t a t e m e n t t o D a v i d G a r r o w a y a n d G il s o n ' s r e a s on s f o r f a ili n g t o p r o v i d e t h i s t o t h e d e f e n s e . N . T . 1 / 2 6 / 1 6 a t 1 8 6 - 2 1 0 . A f t e r t h e gu n ba t tl e , R a f i S m i t h w a s a rr e st e d a n d h i s c a s e w a s t a k e n o v e r b y f e d e r a l a u t h o r i ti e s . I d . a t 1 9 4 . W h il e i n f e d e r a l c u s t o d y , S m i t h w a s i n t e r v i e w e d b y f e d e r a l i n t e lli g e n c e o ff i c e r D a v i d G a rr a w a y . I d . M r . G a r r a w a y p r e p a r e d a m e m o r a nd u m ( G a rr a w a y m e m o r a nd u m ) o f h i s i n t e r v i e w w i t h S m i t h , n o ti n g t h a t S m i t h a l s o s p o k e t o H o m i c i d e d e t e c ti v e s . I d . , E x h i b i t P - 9 . T h e G a r r a w a y m e m o r a n d u m w a s l o ca t e d i n t h e H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n ' s i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e . I d . a t 1 9 8 . T h e G a r r a w ay m e m o r a n d u m s t a t e s t h a t S m i t h t o l d G a r r a w ay t h e f o ll o w i n g : t h a t , o n t h e d a y o f t h e gu n b a t tl e , pe ti ti o n e r t o l d S m i t h t h a t t h ey w e r e w a i ti n g f o r S m i t h t o d r op o ff h i s c h il d r e n a t P i e r c e E l e m e n t a r y Sc h o o l s o t h a t t h e y c o u l d t h e n b u y m a r i j u a n a . I d . 1 / 2 6 / 1 6 a t 2 0 9 - 1 0 . W h il e w a i ti n g , J e r o m e B r o a s t e r , h i s c h il d , a nd t h e c h il d ' s m o t h e r a r r i v e d i n a c a r at t h e s c ho o l , a n d t h e m o t h e r e x i t e d t h e v e h i c l e t o d r o p o ff h e r c h il d . I d . A n a r gu m e n t b e t w ee n p e ti ti o n e r a nd B r o a s t e r t h e n e n s u e d , a nd pe ti ti o n e r s t a r t e d t o w a l k a w a y , a f t e r w h i c h B r o a s t e r f i r e d s h o ts a t p e titi o n e r . I d . A D A G il s o n t e s ti f i e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h t h e G a r r a w a y m e m o r a nd u m i n d i c a t e d t h a t R a f i S m i t h t o l d G a r r a w a y h e h a d b ee n i n t e r v i e w e d b y P h il a d e l p h i a H o m i c i d e d e t e c ti v e s , A D A G il s on n e v e r l o c a t e d a n y r e c o r d o r s t a t e m e n t o f R a f i S m i t h t o t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a P o li c e D e p a r t m e n t . I d . a t 2 0 3 . A D A G il s on i n d i ca t e d t h a t S m i t h m a y h a v e i n f a c t b e e n i n t e r v i e w e d by H o m i c i d e d e t ec ti v e s , ^{[2] [0]} T h e r e i s n o d i s pu t e t h a t t h e P h il a d e l p h i a D i st r i c t A tt o r n e y ' s O ff i c e a nd t h e P h il a d e l p h i a P o li c e D e p a r t m e n t a r e pa r t of t h e "s a m e g o v e r n m e n t . " R a f i S m i t h ' s s t a t e m e n t t o D a v i d G a r r a w a y , t h o u g h m a d e i n t h e c o n t e x t o f a f e d e r a l i n v es ti g a ti o n , w as s u p p li e d t o t h e P h il a d e l p h i a P o li c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h c o n c e d e d t h a t t h i s s t a t e m e n t w a s i n i t s f il e a t t h e ti m e o f t r i a l . N . T . 1 / 8 / 1 6 a t 3 0 . T h e f o r e n s i c e v i d e n c e a nd t e s ti n g c o ll ec t e d fr o m t w o v e h i c l e s w h i c h w e r e s u s p e c t e d t o b e i n v o l v e d i n t h e gun b a t t l e w as p e r f o r m e d b y t h e P h il a d e l p h i a P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d r e qu e s t e d by t h e de f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c ov e r y , bu t t h e de f e n s e w as o n l y p r o v i d e d w i t h t h e p r o p e r t y r ec e i p t s f o r t h e s e t w o v e h i c l e s . N . T . 8 / 1 4 / 1 5 a t 6 1- 6 7 . U n d e r � a n d � . a ll of t h i s e v i d e n c e i s p r o p e r l y c o n s i d e r e d t o b e w i t h i n t h e s c o p e of t h e p r o s e c u t o r ' s c on t r o l .

1 *24 b u t t h a t t h a t w a s p e r h a p s n o t d o c u m e n t e d i n t h e i r f il e s be ca u s e S m i t h p r ov i d e d no h e l p f u l i n f o r m a ti o n . I d . a t 2 05 . A D A G il s o n t e s ti f i e d t h a t h e r e v i e w e d t h e G a r r a w a y m e m o r a n d u m a n d d i d n o t be li e v e i t w a s d i s c o v e r a b l e , a n d t h a t t h i s w a s t h e r e a s o n t h a t t h e G a r r a w a y m e m o r a nd u m w a s n o t d i s c l o s e d t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y . I d . a t 2 0 2 . A D A G il s o n c l a i m e d t h a t h e d i d n o t c on s i d e r t h e i n f o r m a ti o n i n t h e G a r r a w a y m e m o r a nd u m t o b e e x c u l p a t o r y b e ca u s e i t " pu t O [ p e titi o n e r ] a t t h e s c e n e ? " a nd be c a u s e t h e s t a t e m e n t w a s i n a d m i s s i b l e h e a r s a y . I d . a t 2 1 0 - 1 2 .

A s d i s c u s s e d s upr a , t h e m ea n i n g o f " ex c u l p a t o r y " f o r B ra d y p u r p o s e s i s n o t s o li m i t e d a s t o o n l y i n c l u d e t h a t e v i d e n ce w h i c h i n d i c a t e s t h a t a d e f e n d a n t w a s n e v e r p r e s e n t a t t h e c r i m e s c e n e . B e c a u s e pe titi on e r ' s t r i a l d e f e n s e t h e o r y w a s s e l f - d e f e n s e , a n y e v i d e n ce w h i c h t e n d e d t o s u p p o r t t h i s t h e o r y s h o u l d h a v e b ee n d i s c l o s e d . E v e n i f t h i s e v i d e n c e o n l y s u ff i c e d t o e s t a b li s h a n i m p e r f e c t s e l f - d e f e n s e , i t w a s m a t e r i a l t o p e ti ti o n e r ' s c h a r g e o f m u r d e r i n t h e f i r s t d e g r e e . A t t h e h ea r i n g , A D A G il s o n d i s m i s s e d t h e p o ss i b ili t y t h a t t h i s e v i d e n ce c o u l d h a v e p r o m p t e d a n y de f e n s e i n v e s ti g a ti o n w h i c h w o u l d h a v e r e v ea l e d a d m i s s i b l e e v i d e n ce . N . T . 1 / 2 6 / 1 6 a t 2 1 1 . T h i s C o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t A D A G il s o n ' s a s s e s s m e n t o f w h a t w a s e x c u l p a t o r y i n t h i s ca s e , a n d h i s p o s i ti o n t h a t t h i s s t a t e m e n t c o u l d n o t h a v e l e a d t o t h e d i s c o v e r y of a n y a d m i s s i b l e e v i d e n c e , w a s i n c o r r ec t a n d a n i m p r o p e r b a s i s f o r w ill f u ll y w i t h ho l d i n g e v i d e n ce w h i c h s h ou l d h a v e f a i r l y b e e n p r o v i d e d t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y , p a r ti c u l a r l y a f t e r s p e c i f i c a ll y b e i n g o r d e r e d t o d o s o by J u d g e G r e e n s p a n . A D A G il s on , a t h o r o u g h p r o s e c u t o r w i t h m a n y y ea r s o f e x p e r i e n c e , kn e w b e tt e r . W h e n v i e w e d i n t h e c on t e x t o f t h e a s s u r a n ce s h e m o u t h e d t o J u dg e G r e e n s p a n , kn o w i n g t h a t t h i s d o c u m e n t w a s i n h i s f il e , t h i s c o n d u c t r e f l e c t s a b r a s h d i s d a i n f o r a p r o s e c u t o r ' s d u t y o f c a nd o r t o t h e t r i b u n a l .

M on t h s b e f o r e t h e J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 e v i d e n ti a r y h ea r i n g w h e r e A D A G il s on t e s ti f i e d a b o u t t h e R a f i S m i t h s t a t e m e n t , t h i s C o u r t h a d h e a r d ar gu m e n t o n p e ti ti o n e r ' s d i s c ov e r y m o ti on w i t h ^{[2] [1]} B u t s u r e l y ADA G il s o n i s w e ll v e r s e d i n t h e no ti o n t h a t a d e f e n d a n t a d v a n c i n g a d e f e n s e of s e l f - d e f e n s e i s a d m i tt i n g h e c o m m i t t e d t h e s h o o ti n g - i n o t h e r w o r d s , t h a t h e w a s p r e s e n t .

1 *25 r e s p e c t t o a p a i r o f a u t o m ob il e s , b o t h o f w h i c h w e r e p r o c e s s e d b y p o li c e . E a c h c a r w a s s u s p ec t e d t o h a v e b e e n t h e c a r u s e d b y t h e B r o a st e r s i n t h e gu n b a t tl e . S e e N . T . 7 / 2 / 1 5 a t 5 3 - 5 8 ; N . T . 8 / 1 4 / 1 5 a t 5 8 - 6 8 . P e titi o n e r h a d as s e r t e d t h a t t h e B r o a s t e r s c h a s e d h i m a n d f i r e d a t h i m fr o m a c a r , a n d t h a t e v i d e n ce s u p p o r ti n g t h i s p o s i ti o n w o u l d h a v e h e l p e d h i s s e l f - d e f e n s e t h e o r y t o p r e v a il a t t r i a l . A t t h e h e a r i n g o n J u l y 2 , 2 0 1 5 , P C R A c o un s e l a s s e r t e d t h a t t r i a l c oun s e l ha d b e e n p r o v i d e d w i t h t w o p r op e r t y r e ce i p ts , o n e f o r a c a r m a t c h i n g t h e d e s c r i p ti o n o f t h e c a r u s e d by t h e B r o a st e r s i n t h e gu n b a t tl e w i t h f o u r b u ll e t ho l e s i n t h e w i n d s h i e l d , d i s c o v e r e d n e a r t h e c r i m e s c e n e w i t h i n a n h o u r o f t h e s h o o ti n g . N . T . 7 / 2 / 1 6 a t 5 4 . C o un s e l a l s o d e s c r i b e d a c a r r e g i s t e r e d t o C a s s i u s B r o a s t e r , r e c o v e r e d w i t h a s i n g l e b u ll e t h o l e i n t h e w i n d s h i e l d , w h i c h w a s i n d i ca t e d b y t h e s e c o n d p r o p e r t y r e c e i p t . I d . a t 5 5 - 56 . A t t h e A u gu s t 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 h e a r i n g , P C R A c o u n s e l h a d a ss e r t e d t h a t t h e o n l y e v i d e n ce w h i c h w a s d i s c l o s e d t o t r i a l c oun s e l w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e s e t w o v e h i c l e s w a s t h e p o li c e r e p o r t s 2 2 a n d p r o pe r t y r e c e i p t s i n d i ca ti n g t h a t t h e v e h i c l e s w e r e s e i z e d b y p o li c e a n d b a lli s ti c s t e s ti n g w a s p e r f o r m e d , w h il e i n f o r m a ti o n w i t h r e s p e c t t o a n y f o r e n s i c e v i d e n ce , o w n e r ' s i n f o r m a ti o n , o r t h e r e s u l t s o f a n y b a lli s ti c s t e s ti n g w a s no t p r o v i d e d t o t h e d e f e n s e . N . T . 8 / 1 4 / 1 5 a t 6 0 - 6 2 . T h i s C o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h i s i n f o r m a ti o n s h o u l d a l s o h a v e be e n t u r n e d o v e r t o t h e d e f e n s e i n p r e t r i a l d i s c o v e r y , a s a n y b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n ce fr o m t h e s e v e h i c l e s c o u l d h a v e c o n t r a d i c t e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s p r e s e n t a ti o n o f f a c ts a t t r i a l a nd s u p p o r t e d p e ti ti o n e r ' s s e l f - d e f e n s e t h e o r y a t t r i a l . I d . a t 5 9 - 6 8 .

I n B ra d y , t h e S u p re m e C o u r t h e l d t h a t " t h e s u p p r e ss i o n b y t h e p r o s e c u ti o n o f e v i d e n c e f a vo r a b l e t o a n a c c u s e d u p o n r e q u e s t v i o l a t e s d u e p r o c e ss w h e r e t h e e v i d e n c e i s m a t e r i a l e i t h e r t o gu il t o r t o p u n i s h m e n t i rr e s p e a i o e o f t h e g o o d f a i t h o r b ad f a i t h o f t h e p r o s e c u t i o n . " B r a d y , 3 7 3 U . S . a t 8 7 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . T hou gh t h e p r o s e c u t o r ' s i n t e n t i s un i m p o r t a n t i n a p u r e B ra d y a n a l y s i s , P e nn s y l v a n i a c o u r t s h a v e f o u nd t h a t p r o s e c u t o r i a l " g a m e s m a n s h i p " a m o u n t i n g t o a v i o l a t i o n o f ^{[2] [2]} P C R A c o un s e l r e p r e s e n t e d t h a t t h e o n l y i n f o r m a ti on i n t h e s e p o li c e r e p o r t s w e r e r e f e r e n c e s t h a t t h e c a r s w e r e " t a k e n b y p o l i c e t o a p o li c e p l a ce " a nd t h a t b a lli s ti c s e v i d e n c e w a s f o u n d i n s i d e t h e c a r s . N . T . 8 / 1 4 / 1 5 a t 6 2 .

*26 2 0 d i s c o v e r y r u l e s c a n b e a n i n d e p e n d e n t r e a s o n t o s h a p e a r e m e d y f o r a d e f e nd a n t w h e r e s u c h g a m e s m a n s h i p p r e j u d i c e s t h e d ef e nd a n t i n h i s a b ili t y t o p r e s e n t a d e f e n s e . C o mm o n w ea l t h v . M o o s e , 6 02 A . 2d 1 2 6 5 , 1 2 7 3 - 75 ( P a . 1 9 9 2 ) ( f i n d i n g t h a t w h e r e t h e p r o s e c u t o r h i d a s t a t e m e n t fr o m d ef e n s e c ou n s e l a n d t o l d t h e c o u r t t h a t " a ll a v a il a b l e e v i d e n c e h a d b ee n p r o v i d e d " r e q u i r e d t h a t a n e w t r i a l be g r a n t e d b e ca u s e i t p r e j u d i c e d t h e d e f e n d a n t a n d , o t h e r w i s e , t h e c o u r t " w o u l d be c o n d o n i n g a n d e n c o u r a g i n g s u c h l a s t m i n u t e d i s c l o s u r e s a nd g a m e s m a n s h i p . " ) . ^{[2] [3]}

T h e t h i r d a n d f i n a l c o m p o n e n t o f a B r a d y v i o l a t i o n r e q u i r e s t h a t p r e j u d i c e e n s u e d fr o m t h e p r o s ec u ti o n ' s s u p p r e ss i o n o f f a v o r a b l e e v i d e n c e . C h m i e l , 3 0 A . 3 d a t 1 1 2 9 - 3 0 . " P r e j u d i c e " i n t h i s c o n t e x t i s d e f i n e d b y t h e c o n c e p t o f " m a t e r i a li t y . " F o r s u p p r e s s e d e v i d e n c e t o b e c on s i d e r e d " m a t e r i a l , " t h e r e m u st b e a " r e a s on a b l e p r o b a b ili t y t h a t , h a d t h e e v i d e n c e b ee n d i s c l o s e d , t h e r e s u l t o f t h e p r o ce e d i n g w o u l d h a v e b e e n d i ff e r e n t . " C o n e v . B e ll , 5 5 6 U . S . 4 4 9 , 4 7 0 ( 20 0 9 ), c i ti ng K y l e s , 5 1 4 U . S . a t 43 5 .

W h e n un d e r t a k i n g t h e " m a t e r i a li t y " a n a l y s i s , t h e c o u r t i n K y l e s i n d i c a t e d t h a t m a t e r i a li t y i s t o b e j u d g e d b y r e f e r e n c e t o t h e " s u p p r e s s e d e v i d e n c e c o n s i d e r e d c o ll e c ti v e l y , n o t i t e m - b y - i t e m " w i t h t h e f o c u s o n t h e " c u m u l a ti v e eff e c t o f s u p p r e ss i o n . " K y l e s , 5 1 4 U . S . a t 43 7 . P r a c ti ca ll y , c o u r t s a n a l yz e t h e " c u m u l a ti v e e ff e c t o f s u p p r e s s i o n " t h r o u g h t w o i n q u i r i e s : w h e t h e r s u p p r e s s i o n n e g a ti v e l y i m p ac t e d t h e d e f e n s e ' s c a s e , a n d w h e t h e r t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o o k a dv a n t a g e o f t h e f a c t t h a t e v i d e n c e f a v o r a b l e t o t h e a c c u s e d w a s w i t h h e l d .

I n U . S . v . P e r d o m o , t h e T h i r d C i r c u i t m e a s u r e d t h e i m p a c t of s upp r e s s i o n o n t h e d e f e n s e ' s ca s e by c o n s i d e r i n g t h e " p o ss i b l e e ff e c ts of n on - d i s c l o s u r e o n t h e d e f e n s e ' s t r i a l p r e p a r a ti o n , " a nd by a s k i n g w h e t h e r , h a d t h a t e v i d e n c e b e e n " d i s c l o s e d a n d u s e d e fft c t i v e / y , i t m ay m a k e t h e d i ff e r e n c e be t w e e n c on v i c ti o n a n d a c q u i t t a l . " 92 9 F . 2d 96 7 , 9 71 - 72 ( 3 d C i r . 1 9 9 1 ) ( e m p h a s i s i n o r i g i n a l ) . I n ^[23] T h e � c o u r t r e li e d o n C o m m o n w e a l t h y . T h i e ! , 4 7 0 A . 2 d 1 4 5 , 1 4 9 ( P a . Su p e r . 1 9 8 3 ) , w h e r e t h e S u p e r i o r C o u r t f a s h i o n e d a r e m e d y f o r a d e f e nd a n t a f t e r t h e g o v e r n m e n t w i t h h e l d i n f o r m a ti o n t h a t s h o u l d h a v e b ee n d i s c l o s e d un d e r P a . R . C r i m . P . 3 0 5 ( B ) ( 1 )( f) .

*27 2 1 t h a t c a s e , t h e g o v e r n m e n t u nkn o w i n g l y m i s r e p re s e n t e d t o t h e d ef e n s e t h a t i t s k e y w i t n e s s d i d no t h a v e a c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y , d e s p i t e t h a t w i t n e s s i n f a c t h a v i n g t w o p r i o r c o n v i c ti o n s . I d . a t 9 70 - 72 . " S u c h i n f o r m a ti on w o u l d h a v e bee n c r i ti ca l i n p r e s e n ti n g t h e w i t n e s s ' m e n t a l s t a t e , d e m ea no r a n d b e h a v i o r t o t h e j u r y , a n d i n q u e s ti o n i n g t h e w i t n e s s ' c r e d i b ili t y . " I d . a t 9 72 . T h e P e r d o m o c o u r t s t r e s s e d t h a t t h e i m p a c t o f s u p p r e s s i o n o n t h e t e s ti m on y t h a t t h e d e f e n s e " w o u l d h a v e b e e n a b l e t o e li c i t " w a s m a gn i f i e d b y t h e go v e r n m e n t ' s m i sr e p r e s e n t a ti o n , w h i c h m i s l e a d i n g l y i n d u ce d d e f e n s e c o un s e l i n t o b e li e v i n g t h a t t h e w i t n e s s c o u l d n o t b e i m p e a c h e d . I d . T h e c u m u l a ti v e i m p a c t o f s u p p r e s s i o n p r e s e n t e d a n " un d i s p u t a b l e a r gu m e n t t h a t a B ra d y v i o l a ti o n oc c u r r e d . " I d . at 9 74 .

W h il e t h e P e r d o m o c o u r t t a c k l e d t h e " m a t e r i a li t y " q u e s ti o n fr o m t h e p e r s p e c ti v e o f ho w s u p p r e s s i o n i m p a c t e d t h e d ef e n s e ' s c a s e , o t h e r c a s e s h a v e e m p h a s i z e d t h a t e v i d e n c e i s m o r e li k e l y t o b e c o n s i d e r e d " m a t e r i a l " w h e n t h e g ov e r n m e n t s e i z e s u p o n a n d e x p l o i t s t h e p r e s e n c e ( o r a b s e n ce ) o f t h e s u p p r e s s e d e v i d e n c e . T h e K y l e s c o u r t , f o r e x a m p l e , c o n s i d e r e d t h e " w o r d o f t h e p r o s e c u t o r " r e l e v a n t t o t h e m a t e r i a li t y c o m p u t a ti o n . T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S up r e m e C o u r t f o u n d i m p e a c h m e n t e v i d e n ce o f t w o w i t n e ss e s t o b e m a t e r i a l i n p a rt be c a u s e t h a t e v i d e n c e c o n t r a d i c t e d t h e a r gu m e n t s e t f o r t h b y t h e p r o s e c u t o r d u r i n g c l o s i n g ar gu m e n ts . K y l e s , 5 1 4 U . S . a t 4 4 4 ( " T h e li k e l y d a m a g e i s b e s t u nd e rs t o o d by t a k i n g t h e w o r d o f t h e p r o s e c u t o r , w ho c on t e n d e d d u r i n g c l o s i n g a r gu m e n t s t h a t S m a ll w o o d a n d W illi a m s w e r e t h e S t a t e ' s t w o b e s t w i t n e ss e s . " ) .

W h e n t h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d t h e d i s c o v e r y r e q u e s t s w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e G a rr a w a y m e m o r a n d u m r e g a r d i n g R a f i S m i t h a nd t h e e v i d e n c e c o ll e c t e d fr o m t h e a u t o m ob il e s , i t w a s c o gn i z a n t o f t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s c o mm e n t s d u r i n g c l o s i n g ar gu m e n t s a t p e titi o n e r ' s t r i a l w h i c h t h e w i t h h e l d e v i d e n c e t e n d e d t o c o n t r a d i c t . " A D A G il s o n ' s a s s u r a n ce t o J u dg e G r e e n s p a n ' s a d m o n i ti o n t h a t a n y ^[24] W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e e v i d e n c e c o ll e c t e d fr o m t h e c a r s a n d p e ti ti o n e r ' s t h e o r y t h a t t h e B r o a s t er s h a d p u r s u e d p e ti ti on e r a n d f i r e d a t h i m fr o m t h e i r c a rs , t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h a s s e r t e d i n c l o s i n g a r gu m e n t s t h a t: t h e o n l y s h o t s f i r e d by t h e B r o a s t e r s w e r e t h e f i v e c a r t r i dg e c a s e s r e c ov e r e d fr o m t h e s t r e e t ( N . T . 3 / 1 5 / 0 6 a t 1 9 0 ) ; t h a t p e ti ti on e r a nd c o - d e f e n d a n t S p a d y ha d t r a v e l e d u p t h e b l oc k f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f l u r i n g t h e B r o a s t e r s i n t o a n i n f e r i o r f i r i n g p o s i ti o n r a t h e r t h a n t o r e t r ea t (I d . . a t 1 9 1 ) ; a n d t h a t t h e B r o a s t e r s h a d e n t e r e d t h e i r c a r s f o r t h e p u r p o s e s of f l ee i n g p e ti ti o n e r a n d S p a d y r a t h e r t h a n t o p u r s u e (I d . . a t 1 9 6 ) . W i t h r e s p ec t t o t h e G ar r a w a y m e m o r a n d u m de s c r i b i n g R a f i S m i t h ' s s t a t e m e n t s u pp o r t i n g

*28 2 2 e v i d e n c e t e n d i n g t o s u p po r t s e l f - d e f e n s e w o u l d b e s upp li e d t o t r i a l c oun s e l t h e r e f o r e d e n o t e s a w ill f u l a n d f l a g r a n t s c o r n i n g o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s o r d e rs . f

T h i s C o u r t a l s o c o n s i d e r e d t h e f a c ts o f t h i s c a s e a s a n u nu s u a ll y c o m p l e x f i r s t - d e g r e e m u r d e r c a s e w i t h d e n s e v o l u m e s of e v i d e n ce c o ll e c t e d , h e a vy p u b li c a tt e n ti o n a n d p r e s s u r e o n t h e C o mm on w ea l t h t o b r i n g t h e c a s e t o a r e s o l u ti o n , a n d r e s t r i c ti on s o n w h i c h d i s c o v e r y m a t e r i a l s c o u l d b e p r ov i d e d t o t h e pe titi o n e r o u t o f a c o n ce r n t h a t p e ti ti o n e r w o u l d i n ti m i d a t e w i t n e s s e s . ^{[2] [6]} T h i s C o u r t c on s i d e r e d t h e o cca s i o n s w h e r e i t f o u n d t h a t e v i d e n c e w a s i m p r o p e r l y w i t h h e l d fr o m p r e t r i a l d i s c ov e r y , w h i c h s u p po r t e d a r ea s on a b l e b e li ef t h a t o t h e r , n o n - d i s c l o s e d d o c u m e n t s w i t h i n t h e H o m i c i d e D i v i s i on f il e w o u l d s u pp o r t p e ti ti o n e r ' s P C R A t h e o r i e s . F i n a ll y , t h i s C o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h e r e w o u l d b e n o r e l a ti v e d e t r i m e n t t o t h e C o mm on w e a l t h b y g r a n ti n g p e ti ti o n e r ' s d i s c o v e r y r e q u e s t , as t h e i n v e s ti g a ti o n i n t h i s c a s e h a s b e e n c o n c l ud e d f o r s e v e r a l yea r s .

T h e r e f o r e , i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e gu i d a n c e p r ov i d e d i n F r e y , t h i s C o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e a nd t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ' s p a t t e r n o f w i t h ho l d i n g i t e m s o f e v i d e n ce t h a t s u p po r t e d p e titi o n e r ' s t r i a l d e f e n s e t h e o r y o f s e l f - d e f e n s e w e r e e x ce p ti o n a l c i r c u m s t a n ce s a n d t h e r e f o r e g r a n t e d pe ti ti o n e r ' s r e q u e st f o r d i s c o v e r y o f t h e H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n f il e i n i t s e n t i r e t y . T h e C o mm o n w e a l t h h a s no t p r e s e n t e d a n e x p l a n a ti o n f o r h o w d e t r i m e n t m i g h t r e s u l t , o t h e r t h a n t o c h a r a c t e r i z e t h i s a s a " f i s h i n g e x p e d i ti o n " a n d t o a s s e r t t h a t t h i s w o u l d o n l y f u r t h e r d e l a y r e s o l u ti o n o f a pe ti ti o n f o r P C R A r e li e f t h a t h a s li n g e r e d f o r y e a r s . I n o r d e r t o s e t tl e t h e i s s u e s i n t h i s m a t t e r e x p e d i t i o u s l y r a t h e r t h a n p i e c e m ea l , a n d i n li gh t of t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s p r e s e n t e d a t a r gu m e n ts , t h i s C o u r t d i r e c t e d t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h t o p r ov i d e t h e H o m i c i d e f il e t o t h i s C o u r t ' s c h a m b e r s f o r t h e t h a t t h e B r o a s t e r s i n i t i a t e d b o t h t h e ar gu m e n t a nd t h e gu n b a t tl e , t h e C o mm o n w e a l t h ass e r t e d i n c l o s i n g a r gu m e n t s t h a t: p e t i ti o n e r a n d c o - d e f e n d a n t S p a d y t r a v e l e d t o P i e r ce E l e m e n t a r y f o r t h e e x p re s s p u r p o s e of k i lli n g C a s s i u s B r o a s t er i n r e v e n g e (I d . a t 20 0 ) ; a n d t h a t pe t i t i o n e r a nd S p a d y h i d t h e i r w e a p on s un d e r t h e i r c l o t h i n g a n d i n i t i a t e d ar gu m e n ts w i t h t h e B r o a s t e r s f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f p r o v o k i n g t h e m i n t o f i r i n g f i r s t ( I d . a t 2 0 6 ) . ^{[2] [5]}

� N . T . 3 /6 / 0 6 a t 77 . ^{[2] [6]} � N . T . 7 / 2 / 1 5 a t 9 8 - 9 . *29 2 3 p u r p o s e s o f r e v i e w i n g t h e m a t e r i a l s a n d d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r a n y m a t e r i a l s w i t h h e l d fr o m t h e d e f e n s e s u p po r t o n e o r m o r e o f p e ti ti o n e r ' s P C R A t h e o r i e s f o r r e li e f . T h i s C o u r t t h u s d i d n o t e r r i n g r a n ti n g pe titi o n e r ' s m o ti o n f o r d i s c o v e r y of t h e H o m i c i d e D i v i s i o n ' s i n v e s ti g a ti o n f il e .

F o r t h e f o r e go i n g r e a s o n s , t h i s C o u r t ' s o r d e r s ho u l d be a f f i r m e d . B Y T H E C O U R T : J

t

{ �

J . M . TE R E S A S A R M I N A *30 2